By Chimezie Godfrey
The Nigeria Customs Service launched its 2025 Comptroller-General of Customs Conference in Abuja with a clarion call from CGC Adewale Adeniyi who stressed that senior officers must address internal discipline if the Service is to become truly effective.
Held at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, the conference — themed “Building Future Partnerships: Lessons from the Customs-PACT Conference”, is designed to translate the success of the C-PACT Summit into long-term institutional reform.
Adeniyi reminded participants that the day before, the Service had wrapped up a historic continental gathering that brought together customs chiefs, private sector partners, and African regional representatives in Abuja.
“You can’t sustain external credibility without internal integrity,” he warned. “We must turn the mirror inward — confront what works, what fails, and what needs to change.”
He argued that the discipline, coordination, and clarity that powered the C-PACT Summit must now be permanently embedded in the Customs Service’s culture. During preparations for the summit, he noted, the Service ran weekly coordination meetings for 16 consecutive weeks — aligning messages with AfCFTA, resolving disputes swiftly, and maintaining unity under high pressure.
The two-day conference will feature panel discussions, rigorous presentations, and candid conversations, in a setting where ideas, not rank, drive progress.