By Joshua Yousouph
The Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) has called on the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to utilize the six-month tenure extension granted to him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consolidate ongoing reforms and accelerate initiatives aimed at improving trade facilitation and port efficiency.
Speaking on behalf of the association, the Acting President of AREFFN, Chief Francis Obiekezie, described the extension as a strategic opportunity for the Customs boss to deepen reforms already initiated under his leadership and further strengthen Nigeria’s international trade competitiveness.
According to him, one of the key expectations of freight forwarders is the accelerated implementation of the National Single Window project, which is expected to simplify trade processes, reduce cargo clearance delays, and lower the cost of doing business at Nigerian ports.
“The six-month tenure extension granted to the Comptroller-General of Customs presents an opportunity to consolidate the impressive reforms already initiated under his leadership. We expect the CGC to accelerate the full implementation of the National Single Window, deepen trade facilitation, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and further simplify Customs procedures to reduce cargo clearance time and the cost of doing business at our ports,” Obiekezie stated.
The freight forwarding leader also urged the Customs management to strengthen collaboration with registered freight forwarding associations and sustain efforts aimed at enhancing professionalism within the Service.
He emphasized the need for continuous stakeholder engagement, noting that stronger partnerships between Customs and industry operators would improve compliance and contribute to seamless trade operations.
Obiekezie further called for sustained anti-smuggling operations and increased deployment of technology-driven solutions to improve transparency and efficiency in Customs processes.
“We also look forward to greater collaboration with registered freight forwarding associations, enhanced professionalism within the Nigeria Customs Service, sustained anti-smuggling efforts, and improved transparency through technology-driven operations. These measures will not only boost government revenue but also enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in international trade,” he said.
He added that improving the welfare of Customs officers and investing in capacity building should remain a priority during the extended tenure, stressing that a motivated workforce is critical to achieving the Service’s modernization objectives.
While congratulating Adeniyi on the extension, the AREFFN Acting President assured him of the association’s continued support in advancing a modern, efficient, and globally competitive Customs administration.
“On behalf of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, we congratulate the CGC on this well-deserved extension and assure him of our continued support in advancing a modern, efficient, and globally competitive Customs administration,” Obiekezie added.
President Tinubu recently approved a six-month tenure extension for Adeniyi, a move widely welcomed by stakeholders across the maritime and logistics sectors, who believe it will provide continuity for ongoing reforms within the Nigeria Customs Service.
