By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) has called for the urgent consolidation of ongoing reforms within the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), cautioning that progress made over the years could be undermined if not sustained through consistent policies and institutional continuity.
In a summarized executive press brief issued by its Governance and Policy Integrity Unit on April 29, 2026, SEREC stressed that reforms within the Customs Service must transcend individual leadership tenures, warning that any break in continuity could lead to institutional regression.
The Centre anchored its position on a long-standing reform philosophy introduced in 2014 by the late former Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde, who advocated for a legacy-driven approach to governance. According to SEREC, Dikko’s vision of building reforms that successors can build upon remains both relevant and urgent in today’s Customs administration.
SEREC noted that the Nigeria Customs Service has recorded significant strides in recent years, particularly in areas such as digital modernization, revenue generation, enforcement capacity, and stakeholder engagement. However, it warned that these gains remain vulnerable to disruptions arising from leadership transitions and policy inconsistencies.
The Centre emphasized that reforms must be institutionalized rather than driven by individual personalities, describing the Customs Service as a “relay institution” where successive administrations are expected to strengthen inherited reforms instead of discarding them.
On leadership, SEREC underscored the importance of maintaining a professional, career-driven structure within the Service, noting that past deviations from this model have often resulted in setbacks and disruptions. It therefore advocated for the continued strengthening of civilian, professional Customs governance frameworks.
While acknowledging the progress made under the current Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, SEREC commended his management team for advancing modernization efforts and aligning with legacy reform principles. It, however, stressed that these efforts must now be firmly institutionalized to ensure long-term sustainability.
Looking ahead, SEREC identified the next generation of Customs officers as critical to sustaining reforms. It urged that officers be repositioned as custodians of institutional legacy, drivers of reform continuity, and stewards of professionalism and national service.
The Centre further called for the Customs reform trajectory to serve as a model for other government agencies, particularly in the areas of policy continuity, digital transformation, and institutional accountability.
To strengthen reform sustainability, SEREC recommended the provision of legislative backing for key Customs reforms, accelerated implementation of the National Single Window, establishment of independent reform audit mechanisms, reinforcement of institutional memory systems, and deeper deployment of digital transparency and accountability tools.
Reaffirming its position, SEREC stated that the true measure of reform lies not in its initiation but in its continuity, warning that Nigeria cannot afford a return to policy inconsistencies or institutional experimentation.
“The gains within the Nigeria Customs Service must be protected, strengthened, and transmitted across generations,” the statement concluded.
The press brief was signed by the Head of Research at SEREC, Fwdr. Eugene Nweke.
