By Peace Udugba
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Council, Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional modernisation and collective growth within the West and Central Africa Customs community.
Speaking at the 32nd Conference of Directors-General of Customs for the West and Central Africa (WCA) Region held in Freetown, Adeniyi stated that Nigeria’s leadership role is rooted in unity, inclusiveness, and the shared progress of member states.
The high-level summit, which took place from Thursday, 7 May to Friday, 8 May 2026, brought together Customs leaders and regional stakeholders to deliberate on trade facilitation, border security, and digital transformation across the region.
Setting a collaborative tone at the conference, Adeniyi highlighted the WCA region’s longstanding tradition of rotational inclusiveness, noting that every member nation, regardless of size, is given the opportunity to lead.
“This chairmanship is not mine. It belongs to the region that sent me,” Adeniyi declared. “Anytime I take the chair, I take it on behalf of every administration represented in this hall. That is the truth of it, and that is the spirit in which I serve.”
Reflecting on the region’s unity and cooperation, the Customs boss praised Sierra Leone’s hospitality and described the rotational leadership structure as one of the defining strengths of the WCO West and Central Africa Region.
“Our region has a quiet but powerful tradition. Every member, big or small, takes its turn. The right to host is not negotiated. We pass the baton from one capital to the next, and in the passing, we remind ourselves of who we are,” he said.
“This is one of the most distinctive features of our regional family, and it is why our region carries a kind of cohesion that others quietly envy.”
Adeniyi also commended the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation for sustaining an inclusive modernisation agenda that ensures all regions remain actively represented in global Customs reforms. He further acknowledged members of the WCO Policy Commission representing the West and Central Africa Region for advancing regional interests on international Customs platforms.
The conference was officially declared open by the President of Sierra Leone and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Julius Maada Bio, who stressed the importance of stronger regional collaboration in promoting economic integration, trade facilitation, and border security.
The conference, themed “A Customs Service that Protects Society Through its Vigilance and Commitment,” focused largely on digital transformation and intelligence-led Customs operations. Discussions centred on shifting from reactive enforcement strategies to proactive systems driven by technology, data sharing, and coordinated intelligence.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance, while setting the tone for policy discussions, described Customs administrations as the protective shield of the modern state. The minister also unveiled Sierra Leone’s Customs modernisation agenda, which includes upgrading the ASYCUDA World platform, implementing a Single Window Customs and Ports Community System, and introducing Product Tracing and Fiscal Integrity solutions for excisable goods.
Throughout the two-day conference, delegates reviewed reports from the WCO Secretariat and the Regional Working Group on the Private Sector. Deliberations focused on harmonising Customs procedures across borders, strengthening real-time information sharing to combat illicit trade, and improving administrative efficiency through budgetary and audit reforms.
Digital transformation emerged as a central theme, with delegates emphasising the importance of Single Window implementation, the ECOWAS SIGMAT framework for transit verification, and the implications of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on Customs harmonisation, risk management, and data exchange.
Participants agreed that while regional trade integration remains critical to economic growth, effective border controls and coordinated intelligence systems are equally necessary to combat illicit trade and transnational crimes.
The conference further underscored the need for robust Customs systems capable of facilitating legitimate trade while preventing abuse of regional trade corridors.
The discussions aligned closely with the Nigeria Customs Service’s ongoing modernisation drive, particularly in the areas of automation, intelligence-led operations, and enhanced regional cooperation.
The conference also witnessed the election of the Central African Republic as the new Vice Chair of the WCO West and Central Africa Region, succeeding Mali after the successful completion of its two-year tenure.
