By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Strategic and Economic Research Centre (SEREC) has highlighted the numerous inherent benefits of the recent election of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi as the Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council.
In a recent statement, SEREC commended Adeniyi’s emergence as a milestone achievement for Nigeria and urged him to leverage the position to promote national, continental, and global customs advancement.
SEREC described CGC Adeniyi as an intelligent, pragmatic, and strategic leader, noting that his ascendancy to the leadership of the WCO Council is a natural progression of his impactful leadership at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The research body identified four key areas where Nigeria stands to benefit significantly from Adeniyi’s appointment, stressing that his new role offers Nigeria an opportunity to influence global customs policies, particularly on critical issues such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), anti-illicit trade initiatives, and digital border management.
“Under his chairmanship, Nigeria can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Customs innovations and driving policies that promote global supply chain resilience,” SEREC noted. The organization further stressed that Adeniyi’s position presents a unique platform to champion African and Global South interests, ensuring their voices are adequately represented in global customs decisions.
SEREC also highlighted the potential for strengthened international partnerships, which could foster knowledge exchange, best practices, and foreign investments that would benefit Nigeria’s customs and trade ecosystem.
Drawing from Adeniyi’s existing management focus at the Nigeria Customs Service, SEREC referenced his core policy pillars: trade facilitation, revenue optimization, digital transformation, and stakeholder engagement. The body urged the CGC to ensure these thrusts remain aligned with Nigeria’s broader economic priorities, particularly in supporting the growth of the manufacturing and export sectors, boosting cargo throughput, and addressing the country’s persistent inflationary challenges.
The statement emphasized that while the international spotlight will now be more intense, Adeniyi must resist distractions from media glorification and focus on delivering tangible value to Nigeria’s trade and customs landscape.
To this end, SEREC offered specific professional advice:
- Promote Efficient Trade Facilitation: Simplify and streamline customs processes to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and enhance cargo movement.
- Create a Conducive Business Environment: Formulate policies that stimulate investment, foster economic growth, and promote job creation while maintaining regulatory compliance.
- Closely Monitor Inflationary Trends: Stay responsive to economic indicators to ensure customs policies are adaptable to the prevailing economic realities.
SEREC outlined several leadership imperatives for Adeniyi in his role as WCO Chairperson. It urged him to:
- Provide Strategic Leadership: Efficiently lead the WCO Policy Commission with a clear focus on global trade facilitation, security, cross-border collaboration, revenue mobilization, and digital transformation.
- Mediate Across Diverse Interests: Skillfully navigate the varying priorities of the WCO’s 186 member countries, fostering unity and coherence in advancing the organization’s objectives.
- Promote Capacity Building: Advocate for technical support and capacity-building programs for customs administrations, particularly in developing nations, to strengthen global compliance and operational standards.
- Foster Strategic Partnerships: Build enduring relationships with international stakeholders, including governments and customs administrations, to collectively address global trade challenges.
SEREC further called on CGC Adeniyi to use his global platform to support the promotion of “Made in Nigeria” products by collaborating with critical agencies like the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) to boost the country’s export competitiveness.
The organization concluded by emphasizing that Adeniyi must lead by example, beginning with the elimination of operational inefficiencies within Nigeria’s customs environment that hinder cargo throughput and damage the nation’s international trade reputation.
“Charity must begin at home. The CGC must decisively root out all operational impediments that negatively affect cargo flow and global perceptions of Nigeria’s customs operations,” the statement added.
SEREC noted that the benefits of Adeniyi’s appointment are numerous and evolving, promising to continually provide strategic insights to support his success both at home and on the international stage.
The statement was signed by Eugene Nweke, Head of Research at SEREC.
