By Seun Ibiyemi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and the United Kingdom International Development, is strengthening its internal anti-corruption framework through a comprehensive assessment of corruption risks across key Customs operations.
The initiative focuses on corruption risk analysis, risk mapping and the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) designed to improve transparency, accountability and institutional integrity.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the workshop held on Friday, August 21, 2026, at the NCS headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the exercise as an important step towards strengthening institutional growth and corruption risk management within the Service.
Adeniyi said the assessment was not designed to find fault or apportion blame but to enable the Customs administration to critically examine its processes, identify vulnerabilities and develop sustainable solutions.
According to him, the exercise covered critical Customs operations, including regulatory and administrative procedures, cargo clearance, inspection and examination, enforcement and compliance, procurement and human resource management.
“The purpose of what we have therefore been doing with our partners was to identify such areas of vulnerabilities, assess the associated risk and develop practical measures to mitigate them,” he said.
The Customs boss said the Service would continue to support measures aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and internal controls, while simplifying processes and expanding the use of technology to reduce unnecessary discretion in Customs operations.
He noted that greater predictability and accountability would not only strengthen the institution but also improve trade facilitation and public confidence.
“A customs administration that is transparent, that is predictable and accountable, is better positioned to facilitate legitimate trade, improve compliance, and enhance public confidence,” Adeniyi said.
The WCO Lead Technical Expert for the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, Arman Zhalitov, commended the Customs management for its support for the exercise.
Zhalitov urged the working group to champion the endorsement and implementation of the workshop outcomes, including a comprehensive action plan outlining measures to improve trade facilitation and strengthen the Service’s anti-corruption agenda.
Also speaking, David Tanenbaum, WCO Programme Manager for the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, highlighted progress recorded through the partnership in areas including Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), post-clearance audit and time-release studies.
Tanenbaum stressed that integrity must be embedded across Customs operations rather than treated as a standalone initiative.
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He said the progress recorded demonstrated that the partnership was producing tangible institutional and operational outcomes.
“Our work continues to bring us closer to a systematic, preventive approach to identifying and managing corruption risks within customs operations,” he said.
The initiative is expected to provide the NCS with a structured framework for identifying corruption vulnerabilities, strengthening internal controls and implementing preventive measures across its operations.
It also aligns with the Service’s broader modernisation and trade facilitation efforts aimed at making Customs procedures more transparent, predictable and efficient.
