Customs, PEBEC Shift Focus to Execution in New Port Efficiency Drive
Kathy Kyari
The Nigeria Customs Service, in partnership with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, has launched a results-oriented reform agenda aimed at improving port efficiency and strengthening Nigeria’s trade competitiveness, with a renewed emphasis on execution over policy design.
The initiative was unveiled at a three-day operational workshop held in Apapa on Tuesday, 7 April 2026, bringing together key stakeholders to address longstanding bottlenecks in cargo clearance and port operations.
Speaking at the event, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, outlined a five-pillar strategy focused on joint inspections, risk-based cargo clearance, optimisation of scanning infrastructure, enforcement of service timelines, and strengthened inter-agency coordination.
He stressed that the Service is shifting from planning reforms to delivering measurable outcomes.
"This workshop is about closing the distance between knowing and doing. The Service must now focus on translating established best practices into consistent operational outcomes”, he said.
Adeniyi highlighted the transition to intelligence-led cargo processing, noting that investments in digital platforms and scanning systems must yield faster and more transparent clearance processes for traders.
To ensure accountability, he disclosed that the workshop would produce a reform execution matrix to be actively monitored.
“The reform implementation matrix will not end up in a filing cabinet. It will be actively monitored, and I will personally follow the progress reports. The professionalism, commitment, and integrity that this workshop asks of are qualities you need to acquire. I am therefore, asking you to deploy them consistently, not selectively", he stated.
In her remarks, the Director-General of PEBEC, Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, underscored the importance of adopting risk-based, data-driven inspection systems to reduce inefficiencies and lower the cost of doing business.
“We must move from inspecting everything to inspecting the right thing”, she said, noting that efficient and transparent border processes are critical to reducing costs and strengthening Nigeria’s trade position.
Earlier, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, said the Service’s evolving mandate places it at the centre of trade facilitation and economic growth, adding that operational efficiency must be reflected across all commands.
Meanwhile, the Customs and PEBEC delegation also visited the National Single Window facility, where they met with the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, and other stakeholders to assess progress and address operational gaps.
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