By Muhammed Bello
In the past three years, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has shifted from promises to performance. The evidence is at our seaports, at land borders, in revenue figures, and now on the African stage.
Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Service is showing that a government agency can secure the country and still make business easier.
Technology Is Changing Trade
The biggest shift is in how goods move. With B’Odogwu, the indigenous digital platform built by the NCS, clearing processes are faster and more transparent. Importers and exporters are spending less time and less money at the ports.
The Authorized Economic Operator scheme has also created a fast lane for compliant companies, including small businesses that play by the rules.
Beyond Nigeria, the Service’s work is now shaping Africa. Through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), other countries are adopting technology developed by Nigeria Customs to create one digital system for trade across the continent. That is leadership.
Security And Revenue Moving Together
On enforcement, the story is also changing. The fight against smuggling has been strengthened. Illicit financial flows (IFFs) are being tracked. Even wildlife protection has received greater attention.
At the same time, revenue collection has grown to new levels. These resources are funding roads, education, hospitals, and other critical needs.
This proves the Renewed Hope idea that security and prosperity must go together.
Recognition At Home And Abroad
The reforms have drawn attention. Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has been elected to serve a second term as head of the World Customs Organization (WCO). A Nigerian now sits at the table where global trade and border rules are made.
President Tinubu has also acknowledged the Service for aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda and producing results Nigerians can feel.
Closer To The People
Another change is communication. Ostensibly leveraging the experience and expertise of its Comptroller General in communications, NCS is now engaging stakeholders, the media, and citizens more directly. From town halls to daily updates online, policies on trade, currency declaration, and anti-smuggling are being explained in plain language.
The result is better understanding, higher compliance, and more trust.
The Work Continues
The last three years show what happens when an institution buys into a clear vision. The foundation for a modern Customs is set.
For Nigeria’s economy to grow, our ports and borders cannot be obstacles. They must be gateways. With reforms sustained, it is clear that Renewed Hope is not just a slogan. It is producing results.
*Bello, a journalist and public affairs analyst, writes in from Gwagwalada, FCT.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Comptroller-General of Customs Adeniyi.
