Apapa Customs Boss Urges Newly Promoted Officers to Champion Innovation and Integrity
Kathy Kyari
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, has called on newly promoted Deputy and Assistant Comptrollers to embody innovation, integrity, and a commitment to continuous learning as they take on higher responsibilities within the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Addressing the officers during the opening session of a special training program organized for the newly elevated officers on Wednesday, Comptroller Oshoba congratulated them on their promotions, describing the advancement as both “a reward for hard work and a call to greater service.”
He emphasized that the new ranks come with greater expectations from the Service and the nation, urging the officers to uphold excellence, discipline, and dedication to the modernization vision of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR.
“These elevations come with benefits, challenges, and responsibilities. The management of the NCS demands more commitment, innovative thinking, and an unwavering dedication to excellence in carrying out the CGC’s reform agenda,” he stated.
Highlighting the Service’s ongoing transformation drive, the Apapa CAC noted that Customs operations have become increasingly knowledge-driven, with modernization initiatives such as the Advance Ruling System, Time Release Study, Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme, and the One Stop Shop mechanism redefining trade facilitation in Nigeria.
He urged the newly promoted officers to acquaint themselves with these tools and apply them effectively to enhance efficiency, compliance, and risk management.
“There are cases of non-compliance, either from ignorance or deliberate circumvention of procedures. This calls for greater alertness and the smart use of technology for risk assessment,” Oshoba cautioned.
Encouraging the officers to leverage the training for professional growth, the CAC advised them to exchange ideas, collaborate, and build networks that strengthen teamwork and leadership capacity across commands.
“As new leaders, some of you will be entrusted with sensitive duties, including custodianship of release passwords and supervision of junior officers,” he said. “You must uphold the tenets of Justice and Honesty, which are core values of the Service.”
Comptroller Oshoba reaffirmed that capacity building remains a top priority for the NCS leadership, noting that continuous training and retraining form part of the Service’s long-term strategy for institutional excellence.
“To the glory of God and for the benefit of participants and facilitators, I hereby declare this course open,” he concluded.
The training session, held at the Apapa Area Command headquarters, is designed to equip the newly promoted officers with advanced knowledge and leadership skills vital for driving Customs modernization and effective trade facilitation.
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