By George Ozalla
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Council, Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional modernisation, deeper cooperation, and collective growth within the West and Central Africa Customs community.
Adeniyi made the remarks while speaking at the 32nd Conference of Directors-General of Customs for the West and Central Africa (WCA) Region, held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from Thursday, 7 May to Friday, 8 May, 2026, where senior Customs officials, policymakers, and regional stakeholders gathered to review progress and strengthen cooperation on trade facilitation and border governance.
Addressing delegates, the Customs chief stressed that Nigeria’s leadership role within the WCO framework is guided by inclusivity and shared responsibility among member states, noting that the strength of the region lies in its long-standing tradition of rotational leadership.
“This chairmanship is not mine. It belongs to the region that sent me,” Adeniyi stated. “Anytime I take the chair, I take it on behalf of every administration represented in this hall. That is the truth of it, and that is the spirit in which I serve.”
He further highlighted the WCA region’s unique practice of rotational inclusiveness, where leadership responsibility is passed from one member state to another, describing it as a system that reinforces unity and mutual respect among Customs administrations across the subregion.
“Our region has a quiet but powerful tradition. Every member, big or small, takes its turn. The right to host is not negotiated. We pass the baton from one capital to the next, and in the passing, we remind ourselves of who we are,” he said, adding that the arrangement has continued to strengthen cohesion among member countries.
Adeniyi also commended the World Customs Organisation Secretariat for sustaining a modernisation agenda that ensures balanced representation of all regions in global Customs reforms, while acknowledging the contributions of WCO Policy Commission members from West and Central Africa in shaping international Customs policy direction.
The Conference was declared open by the President of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr Julius Maada Bio, who also chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, and who emphasised the need for stronger regional cooperation in trade facilitation, border security, and economic integration.
The theme of the conference, “A Customs Service that Protects Society Through its Vigilance and Commitment,” set the tone for discussions centred on digital transformation, intelligence-led enforcement, and improved coordination across borders.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance, in his address, described Customs administrations as the protective shield of the modern state and outlined ongoing reforms including upgrades to ASYCUDA World, the introduction of a Single Window Customs and Ports Community System, and new product tracing and fiscal integrity solutions for excisable goods.
Over the two-day deliberations, participants reviewed reports from the WCO Secretariat and the Regional Working Group on the Private Sector, focusing on harmonised Customs procedures, real-time information sharing to curb illicit trade, and improved audit and budgetary accountability across member states.
Digital transformation featured prominently in the discussions, with emphasis on the ECOWAS SIGMAT transit framework, Single Window systems, and the implications of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on Customs operations, risk management, and data exchange.
Delegates agreed that while trade liberalisation remains critical to regional growth, it must be balanced with strong enforcement systems capable of preventing abuse of trade corridors and addressing transnational crime.
The Conference also recorded a leadership transition within the region, with the Central African Republic elected as the new Vice Chair of the WCO West and Central Africa Region, succeeding Mali after completing its tenure.
