Due to the positive image the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) enjoys under the leadership of Bashir Adewale Adeniyi as its Comptroller General (CGC), which is rubbing off on the Federal Government’s global image, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is alleged to be considering bringing the Customs boss, Adeniyi, into his cabinet as a Minister of State or substantive minister when he retires this year
By Our Correspondent
The incumbent Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Dr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, is on his way to becoming the luckiest and most successful CGC in the history of the Service having recorded unprecedented reforms and achievements that have endeared him to the heart of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
As he prepares to wave the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) final goodbye come August 2026, after a smooth 35 years of service to fatherland, Adeniyi may be waiting in the wings for a possible appointment as a substantive minister, Minister of State (MoS) or a special aide to Tinubu, this medium can reveal authoritatively. However, upon his impending retirement, the Customs boss may have to exercise patience till when President Tinubu resumes duty for his second term as the President and Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the armed forces next year. A competent presidential source revealed that Customs under its outgoing CGC has impressed Tinubu government through garnering enviable popularity from both within and the international community.
He added that the global popularity of the NCS under Adeniyi is rubbing off on the government’s global image which is a source of delight to the presidency in spite of the barrage of criticism from local actors and opposition politicians.
Citing an instance, the source said that Nigeria’s Chairmanship position of the World Customs Organization (WCO) at present, is a testimony of strong leadership, patriotism, discipline and dedication of the country’s leadership to rescue it from the doldrums. Adeniyi is the current Chairman of the WCO. He was elected into the office in 2025
According to the source, Tinubu demonstrated his administration for the Customs boss by offering to attend in person the commissioning of the newly constructed headquarters of the NCS’ Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, in Ogun State early April. Tentacle’s investigation revealed that Tinubu was said to have had a very tight schedule on the day of the FOU headquarters commissioning, which allegedly necessitated his aides to shop for a representative. But the President was said to have insisted on attending the Customs event because of his personal love for Adeniyi.
The FOU Zone A event took place on Saturday, April 4, 2026 in Iperu, Ogun State, marking a major milestone in the Service’s ongoing expansion and reform efforts. Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Adeniyi, said the development was driven by the need to balance the Service’s core mandates of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and enforcement with improved welfare and working conditions for personnel.
He noted that the expansion became necessary due to increasing operational demands and limited space at existing facilities in Ikeja, Lagos.
Adeniyi: “We’ve just commissioned the Federal Operations Unit; they will be moving here as soon as possible. It’s already been furnished. The accessories that would ensure proper functioning of the facilities have also been installed. Provision of a modern armoury and then, of course, you know that this is the warehouse directly opposite this facility. This warehouse will also support the warehouse at the nearby aviation village”.
He commended the Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency Dapo Abiodun, for his partnership in the relocation project, while also paying tribute to his predecessor, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), for initiating the project, describing his efforts as instrumental in laying the foundation for the current progress.
On funding, the Customs boss disclosed that the project was initially estimated at ₦73 billion, but evolving economic realities may necessitate a review of the approved cost.
The CGC further disclosed that the Service had already commenced operations at the nearby cargo airport, which was commissioned the same day, with officers actively engaged in terminal operations and cargo handling.
According to him, “We’re already at the airport, and we also had our officers who performed tallying when Mr President was asked to witness the offloading of the first cargo at the airport. So, we’re already there, the facilities have been provided for us.”
The expansive project site is expected to accommodate about 142 buildings, including the training college, multipurpose halls, and a sports complex, reinforcing the Service’s long-term vision for modernisation and institutional growth.
Adeniyi has spearheaded many reforms in Nigeria Customs which are numerous to mention. One striking reform in Customs that is making waves within the presidency is the Customs “Operation Whirlwind”, an intervention Unit which the NCS management created to specifically wage the war against smuggling in premium motor spirit (PMS). When he became the NCS boss in 2023, Adeniyi had frowned at the duplication of duties in the Service. This led to his disbandment of the “Strike Force Team” created by his immediate predecessor, retired Col. Hameed Ali. The Strike Force and FOU across geopolitical zones had their duties clashing as both Units performed almost the same tasks. The Strike Force Team was eventually disbanded.
But when fuel smuggling intensified, the Customs management decided to create the Operation Whirlwind to compliment the FOU in combating PMS smuggling mostly at the numerous illegal border routes. Under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Whirlwind Unit has been dealing bitterly against the illicit trade in order to reduce it to barest minimum.
The choice of the Commanders of the Operation Whirlwind, stakeholders agreed, has remained commendable as well. Its current Commander, Deputy Comptroller Raphael Aliyu, said under his watch the team has almost obliterated the illicit trade through a dogged enforcement strategy that has rendered those involved in the illicit act ineffective.
Speaking on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the Customs Training College, Ikeja, Lagos, DC Aliyu while displaying seized jerry cans of PMS containing 14,875 litres intercepted by Operation Whirlwind in the South west zone which were later auctioned that day, said, “The Nigeria Customs Service continues to uphold its constitutional mandate of safeguarding the nation’s economy, protecting vital assets, and tackling all forms of smuggling and economic sabotage. Recently, efforts have been significantly intensified through improved surveillance, stronger intelligence operations, and more robust enforcement activities along major routes identified for the illegal diversion and cross-border smuggling of petroleum products.
“Operation Whirlwind is a targeted anti-smuggling initiative designed to prevent the illegal movement of petroleum products across Nigeria’s borders. Its core aim is to safeguard the nation’s economic interests, strengthen energy security, and ensure that petroleum products intended for local consumption are not unlawfully diverted for export.
“Over the past four weeks, acting on credible intelligence, our operatives successfully dismantled a coordinated smuggling network involved in the illegal exportation of PMS to neighboring countries. During this operation, a total of 595 jerry-cans of 25 litres each were intercepted, amounting to 14,875 litres. These seizures were made across key flashpoints, including Imeko, Ilara, Ilaro, Idiroko, and Seme-Badagry. The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized products stands at Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Seven- Five Thousand Naira Only ₦14,875,000.
“The Seized PMS Products up for auction today were seized through dedicated enforcement operations and reliable intelligence. They had been earmarked for illegal export to neighboring country in direct contravention of national laws regulating the distribution and movement of petroleum products.
“It is pertinent to re-emphasize that petroleum smuggling is not a victimless crime. It undermines the national economy, deprives the government of vital revenue, disrupts the domestic supply chain, and creates artificial scarcity that negatively impacts citizens. Furthermore, it fuels criminal networks that threaten national security and economic stability.
“In line with legal provisions and our commitment to transparency, accountability, and due process, the seized PMS is being disposed of through this public auction. This ensures that the products are reintegrated into the legitimate domestic supply chain rather than being diverted into illegal channels”.
In the area of revenue generation, the Adeniyi-led management remained dogged in ensuring that the Federal Government is not starved of funds to meet up its day-to-day spending requirements. The Customs CG’s admirers insist that it takes discipline and foresight to achieve the level of seamless revenue generation from the agency that had been bogged down by inefficiency. The administration combines technology and digitalization of Customs operations across the country which help revenue officers to identify and plug areas of revenue leakages.
Such technological innovations include the recently developed “B’Odogwu” technology, an indigenous device that enables the Service to achieve seamless revenue generation and track illicit deals. Only last week in Abuja, the Service commenced a capacity building programme on Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven revenue generation, remittances and reconciliation as part of efforts to enhance transparency and efficiency in financial management within the public sector.
At the event the CGC said he was optimistic about the opportunities AI offers to improve Customs operations. He noted that the NCS operates within a broader national and international trade value chain. Adeniyi stated further, “We are united in our resolve to ensure transparency in public accounting. Technology continues to evolve and plays an important role in strengthening our operations. It has also helped us to better understand patterns in international trade”.
The current Customs management also worked hard on achieving a better inter-agency collaboration which is helping the Service in the areas of enforcement and anti-smuggling. For example, many arrests of narcotics in the ports were made in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Adeniyi management also averted the leadership transition crisis that loomed which could have disrupted Customs operations at all levels by deploying rapid promotion of the new-generation officers to bridge the gap. It is expected that as Adeniyi and about 98 percent of the old-generation officers would be waving good bye to their job as Customs officers before the end of 2026, the young officers will further be promoted to higher ranks that will enable them fit into the management cadre.
Dr. Adeniyi deployed the most successful Media Relations strategy to achieve a record positive mentions in the media space. Since the advent of civil rule in 1999, Adeniyi leadership is the only Customs administration that has enjoyed a near-absent negative publicity or bad press due to a serious engagement with the media. Instructively, he couldn’t have run a flawless administration. The Service has had numerous flaws, short comings and crisis under his watch which could have rubbed mud on the Service’s image, but because of his excellent media engagement which has suppressed negative media reports, such flaws were not made public.
If these flaws were recorded publicly, they might have enveloped the current popularity status enjoyed by the CGC. But as a Public Relations Officer (PRO) for many years, he has been able to deploy effective crisis management leveraging his protracted relationship with the fourth estate of the realm. Hence, he is regarded as the most performing CGC since 1999 who has shown exemplary leadership.
A credible source whispered that Tinubu needs such administrator with wide national and international positive image to belong to his cabinet next year. Sources also said Tinubu estimates that with the type of Adeniyi in his cabinet, his second term government will reap popularity.
A die-hard advocate of Tinubu second term who had a chance meeting with this medium recently, said Adeniyi’s name rings bell in Tinubu’s ears. He mentioned Tinubu commissioning the FOU new headquarters despite his tight schedule as the evidence of the position the CGC occupies in the President’s heart. He said emphatically that unless Tinubu failed to secure a second term, otherwise the issue of Adeniyi serving in the cabinet of the President next year has been sealed.
When the Customs boss was contacted to comment on the story, he was not available on the phone.
