The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to grant a one-year extension to the service tenure of senior Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) officers scheduled for retirement in December 2026.
The association said the extension would allow experienced officers to mentor and prepare younger personnel for leadership responsibilities, ensuring a smooth transition and sustained operational efficiency within the Service.
The appeal was contained in an open letter to the President titled “The Matter of Mass Due Retirement of Seasoned Management Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).” The letter was signed by NAGAFF Secretary-General, Mr Geophrey Nwosu, in Lagos on Wednesday.
NAGAFF said the proposed extension was necessary to prevent the simultaneous retirement of experienced management officers from creating a leadership and operational vacuum in an institution central to Nigeria’s trade administration and fiscal policy implementation.
Writing from its position within the maritime trade and transportation sector, the association described the Customs Service as a strategic agency whose performance directly affects revenue generation, trade facilitation and the protection of Nigeria’s economic interests.
“We are worried that the officers should not be let go in one swoop because Customs is a very strategic organisation in Nigeria, dealing directly in the implementation of fiscal policies of Nigeria trade matters,” the association stated.
NAGAFF acknowledged the efforts of the Comptroller-General of Customs and his management team in assigning younger officers to strategic positions but argued that additional time was needed to strengthen their capacity to manage the responsibilities ahead.
According to the association, a one-year extension would provide an opportunity for knowledge transfer, institutional continuity and leadership development, while preparing younger officers to tackle the complexities of international trade.
“The good news is that these young officers are willing and prepared to take the challenges at the appropriate time,” the letter stated, adding that the proposed extension would help stabilise the transition.
The association also raised concerns over what it described as Nigeria’s growing vulnerability to the importation of counterfeit and adulterated products, particularly from Asian countries.
It alleged that gaps in the implementation of the National Single Window platform had weakened the effectiveness of relevant regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
NAGAFF maintained that the Customs Service was already grappling with these challenges and that its established working relationships with freight forwarding practitioners remained important to effective trade regulation and enforcement.
The association further commended President Tinubu for removing the petroleum subsidy, expressing support for his efforts to reform the Nigerian economy and tackle corruption.
“Remain strong at heart in the interest of Nigerians,” NAGAFF urged the President.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s economic reform agenda, describing itself as a nationwide umbrella body for freight forwarding practitioners.
The letter was copied to NAGAFF Founder, Dr Boniface Aniebonam; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; the President of the Senate; and the Comptroller-General of Customs.
The proposed extension, if approved, would give the affected officers an additional year beyond their scheduled retirement in December 2026. The association said the period would be used to strengthen succession planning and prepare younger personnel for the demands of customs administration and international trade.
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to grant a one-year extension to the service tenure of senior Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) officers scheduled for retirement in December 2026.
The association said the extension would allow experienced officers to mentor and prepare younger personnel for leadership responsibilities, ensuring a smooth transition and sustained operational efficiency within the Service.
The appeal was contained in an open letter to the President titled “The Matter of Mass Due Retirement of Seasoned Management Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).” The letter was signed by NAGAFF Secretary-General, Mr Geophrey Nwosu, in Lagos on Wednesday.
NAGAFF said the proposed extension was necessary to prevent the simultaneous retirement of experienced management officers from creating a leadership and operational vacuum in an institution central to Nigeria’s trade administration and fiscal policy implementation.
Writing from its position within the maritime trade and transportation sector, the association described the Customs Service as a strategic agency whose performance directly affects revenue generation, trade facilitation and the protection of Nigeria’s economic interests.
“We are worried that the officers should not be let go in one swoop because Customs is a very strategic organisation in Nigeria, dealing directly in the implementation of fiscal policies of Nigeria trade matters,” the association stated.
NAGAFF acknowledged the efforts of the Comptroller-General of Customs and his management team in assigning younger officers to strategic positions but argued that additional time was needed to strengthen their capacity to manage the responsibilities ahead.
According to the association, a one-year extension would provide an opportunity for knowledge transfer, institutional continuity and leadership development, while preparing younger officers to tackle the complexities of international trade.
“The good news is that these young officers are willing and prepared to take the challenges at the appropriate time,” the letter stated, adding that the proposed extension would help stabilise the transition.
The association also raised concerns over what it described as Nigeria’s growing vulnerability to the importation of counterfeit and adulterated products, particularly from Asian countries.
It alleged that gaps in the implementation of the National Single Window platform had weakened the effectiveness of relevant regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
NAGAFF maintained that the Customs Service was already grappling with these challenges and that its established working relationships with freight forwarding practitioners remained important to effective trade regulation and enforcement.
The association further commended President Tinubu for removing the petroleum subsidy, expressing support for his efforts to reform the Nigerian economy and tackle corruption.
“Remain strong at heart in the interest of Nigerians,” NAGAFF urged the President.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s economic reform agenda, describing itself as a nationwide umbrella body for freight forwarding practitioners.
The letter was copied to NAGAFF Founder, Dr Boniface Aniebonam; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; the President of the Senate; and the Comptroller-General of Customs.
The proposed extension, if approved, would give the affected officers an additional year beyond their scheduled retirement in December 2026. The association said the period would be used to strengthen succession planning and prepare younger personnel for the demands of customs administration and international trade.
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