MARAN Hails Adeniyi’s WCO Council Chairmanship as Global Nod to Customs Reforms

By Amina Ojelabi

The recent election of Nigeria’s Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as Chairman of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council is a moment of immense pride not just for Nigeria, but for the African continent as a whole. It marks a watershed in international recognition of African leadership in the complex sphere of global customs administration.

The news, officially announced by Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, spokesperson of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), came on the heels of the 145th/146th WCO Council Meetings held at the WCO Headquarters in Brussels on Saturday, June 28, 2025.

The WCO Council stands as the apex decision making body in global Customs affairs underscoring the significance of this development.

The Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN), the nation’s foremost maritime media body, has rightly celebrated this feat, describing it as a “well-deserved global recognition” of Adeniyi’s sterling leadership and transformative reforms in the Nigeria Customs Service.

Indeed, under CGC Adeniyi’s stewardship, the Customs Service has undergone visible transformation from embracing digital modernization to enhancing trade transparency and facilitating regional integration.

These initiatives have not only improved operational efficiency but also elevated Nigeria’s standing in the global trade arena.

Mr. Godfrey Bivbere, President of MARAN, encapsulated the national sentiment well: “this is not just a personal triumph for CGC Adeniyi or a bureaucratic achievement for the Customs Service it is a milestone for Africa, and a reaffirmation that leadership from the continent is gaining the recognition it truly deserves on the global stage”

MARAN’s pledge to continue supporting Customs reforms is timely and commendable. The media has a crucial role to play in deepening accountability and championing trade policies that serve national and continental development goals.

This elevation of a Nigerian Customs chief to such a prestigious global office should serve as a rallying point—not only to bolster trade reforms but to position Nigeria as a hub for maritime innovation, regulatory excellence, and regional trade leadership.

As CGC Adeniyi assumes his new global role, all eyes will be on Nigeria. His tenure offers an opportunity to shape international customs policy, promote African interests, and drive a new era of global trade cooperation, With visionary leadership and continued stakeholder collaboration, including strong media partnerships, Nigeria can truly consolidate its emerging role as a continental beacon in customs modernization and trade facilitation.

In this light, MARAN’s statement reflects more than congratulatory rhetoric it echoes the optimism of a nation and a continent poised for greater influence in global economic governance.