The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has charged younger officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to aspire towards global expertise in Post Clearance Audit (PCA), describing it as a critical tool for modern customs administration and the future of trade facilitation in Nigeria.
Adeniyi gave the charge on January 23, 2026, at the conclusion of the five-day World Customs Organization (WCO) Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme held at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja. He stressed that mastering emerging audit techniques such as PCA remains the most effective pathway for young officers to align their careers with international best practices.
Addressing participants, the CGC encouraged officers to shape their professional aspirations towards becoming experts in PCA, noting that the audit framework is one of the key innovations developed by the WCO to strengthen modern customs operations.
He described the programme as both insightful and transformative, explaining that the sessions exposed officers to advanced PCA tools and methodologies capable of enhancing analytical capacity, operational efficiency and compliance monitoring.
According to him, the knowledge gained from the workshop would directly support trade facilitation efforts while safeguarding government revenue and protecting national economic interests. He reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to sustained reforms, stronger collaboration with international partners and the deployment of modern tools to align Nigeria’s customs administration with global standards.
Also speaking, WCO Trade Facilitation Expert, James Clark, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its demonstrated willingness to embrace reform and modern customs practices. He noted that the Service has recorded commendable progress within a relatively short period.
Clark emphasised the importance of institutional commitment, continuous capacity building and consistent application of Post Clearance Audit tools in achieving long-term impact, expressing confidence in the NCS’s ability to create a more efficient and facilitative trading environment.
The WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, funded by the United Kingdom’s Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, was held from January 19 to 23, 2026. It focused on strengthening customs reforms, with particular emphasis on Post Clearance Audit and risk-based compliance management.
The conclusion of the programme marks another milestone in the Nigeria Customs Service’s ongoing drive to promote ease of doing business, enhance compliance and position Nigeria as a competitive and reliable trading partner in the global marketplace.
