Customs CG Adeniyi Calls for Multi-Agency Collaboration to Tackle Illicit Financial Flows
Kathy Kyari
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has highlighted the critical role of Customs in addressing illicit financial flows (IFFs) during the opening session of the National Conference on Combating Illicit Financial Flows held in Abuja on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.
Adeniyi explained that Customs plays a frontline role in monitoring cross-border movement of cash and negotiable instruments, enforcing mandatory declarations for transactions exceeding specified thresholds.
“In the last six months, Customs has tightened loose ends at all our borders to ensure that declaration protocols are diligently implemented,” he said.
He described IFFs as a complex challenge requiring coordinated national action, especially with Nigeria’s upcoming assessment by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
“The forthcoming FATF assessment requires a whole-of-society approach, involving Customs, tax authorities, EFCC, and other agencies working collaboratively,” he added.
Also speaking at the conference, Minister of State for Finance, Doris Anite, noted that Nigeria’s overdependence on oil revenue is unsustainable. She stressed the importance of shifting to a more stable and inclusive revenue base, driven by tax reforms and improved fiscal discipline.
“The participating members should create a more inclusive and accountable fiscal framework capable of funding national development, reducing debt dependency, and ensuring all sectors contribute fairly to growth,” Anite said.
The conference brought together stakeholders from government agencies, financial institutions, and the private sector to develop a unified strategy for curbing illicit flows and strengthening national revenue systems.
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