The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strengthened its partnership with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme to enhance institutional integrity and align with global best practices.
This development followed a high-level meeting at the WCO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on March 23, 2026. The meeting took place during a working visit by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who also serves as Chairperson of the WCO Council.
According to Customs National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, the engagement provided an opportunity for the A-CIP Team to brief CGC Adeniyi on the progress of its ongoing collaboration with the NCS.
Discussions focused on integrity capacity-building initiatives, the development of integrity-focused standard operating procedures, and the planned conduct of an integrity risk assessment exercise in 2026.
The team also outlined its strategic priorities under Phase II of the Programme (2026–2030), emphasising the embedding of integrity safeguards within automated customs systems, trade facilitation frameworks, and revenue administration processes.
The A-CIP team commended the NCS for actively participating in the WCO integrity survey and for approving the release of its outcomes, describing this step as a strong institutional commitment to transparency and accountability.
DC Maiwada noted that the positive outcomes of the survey highlight the impact of ongoing reforms within the Service, including structured valuation review mechanisms, strengthened post-clearance audit processes, and the implementation of the Voluntary Disclosure Framework under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
In his remarks, CGC Adeniyi expressed appreciation to the A-CIP team for the quality and relevance of its engagement with the Service, reiterating the NCS’s resolve to sustain and deepen the partnership.
Both parties acknowledged that institutional integrity remains a critical pillar for building public trust and enhancing the credibility of customs administrations, particularly in an increasingly complex global trade environment.
Building on the outcomes of the meeting, both sides agreed on a set of forward-looking actions to consolidate progress under the A-CIP Programme, including publishing the WCO integrity survey results to demonstrate transparency, establishing and training a dedicated Implementation Working Group, and systematically integrating survey recommendations into NCS operational and business processes.
The CGC also held a strategic meeting with the WCO Secretary-General, Ian Saunders, and relevant secretariat staff, during which both sides exchanged updates on the work of the Policy Commission and the Council.
