In a proactive move to fill the vacuum created by exiting senior officers, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has trained its senior officers in preparation for higher responsibilities.
The training, tagged “Senior Customs Command and Leadership Course” for Batch A, held at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, commenced on Monday, reflecting the Service’s strategic focus on preparing officers for higher responsibilities amid evolving operational, security and trade facilitation challenges.
Speaking at the event on Tuesday, the Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC Adewale Adeniyi, described the programme as a defining investment in the Service’s future.
CGC Adeniyi noted that leadership within the NCS is exercised at every level and cautioned against the gradual erosion of standards, institutional culture and accountability as senior officers begin to exit the system.
He explained that the course is designed to test character, competence and discipline, stressing that leadership exposes both strengths and weaknesses.
The Customs boss urged participants to avoid personalising authority, hoarding knowledge or engaging in unhealthy competition, emphasising that strong institutions are built on shared purpose, continuity and mentorship.
“At this level, your success is determined less by what you know and more by who you are. The authority you wield amplifies character. It exposes strength, but it also reveals weakness,” he advised. “Throughout this course, you will be challenged to look inward to reflect on your judgment, discipline, values and behaviour under pressure. That discomfort is deliberate, because growth does not occur in comfort zones.”
He further described the leadership programme as a deliberate effort by the Service to prepare officers for a defining moment in its history, adding that the quality of future leadership would depend on the decisions, discipline and mindset of those currently being trained.
The training featured intensive sessions on leadership essentials, including authenticity and integrity, emotional intelligence, effective communication, strategic thinking, business acumen, and managing relationships with diverse stakeholders.
Participants also examined lessons from the 4×100-metre relay race as a leadership case study, highlighting the importance of teamwork, synergy, timing and collective responsibility.
Discussions further explored how breakdowns in teamwork can create hostile, hindering and hypocritical work environments, while identifying the core elements of high-performing teams, including mindset, mission, methods, movement, message and leadership by example.
Adeniyi challenged the officers to justify the Service’s investment in their development by translating knowledge into results that build capable teams and prepare others for future leadership roles.
He congratulated participants on reaching a significant career milestone and encouraged them to fully absorb the experience, reflect honestly, and apply the lessons learned to advance the NCS.
