Customs graduates senior officers in Complex Operations Training at NIIA

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to continuous capacity building with the graduation of senior officers from the Senior Executive Course in Complex Customs Operations.

Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, stated at the training, held last Friday, 11 July 2025 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, that it’s aimed at equipping senior officers with the skills to confront new global trade, security, and customs administration challenges.

Adeniyi described the training as “a different level” of professional development to equip senior officers, emphasized as well the importance of the training in exposing officers to global best practices and dynamics in international trade.

The customs boss said, “We have structures for basic training, refresher courses, and command and staff college programmes, but this is a different level. With trainings like this, we expose our officers to global best practices, the dynamics in international trade, and how it affects their job on a day-to-day basis”, he stated.

He noted that the programme would undergo a thorough review before launching a second batch, emphasising curriculum evaluation and operational feedback. “We will do some evaluation. We will assess what worked, what didn’t work during the course, and what components we can add or subtract. So that will determine, actually, when we can do the second batch.”

“As for participants, the first graduates, these are accomplished customs officers. They are the future of the service. I expect they will be ambassadors of positive changes in the service,” he added.

The Director-General of the NIIA, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, commended the Service for investing in its human capital and highlighted the initiative’s broader implications for national development.

“This is not just for the participants; it’s for the Service. The CGC has just been elected as Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), acknowledging what the Service stands for. So this is part of the process of strengthening the capacity of the NCS for better delivery, especially in the light of the more complex and increasingly more challenging circumstances under which they have to operate”, he said.

Participants expressed gratitude to the NCS leadership for the opportunity to broaden their expertise.