The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified efforts to deepen public understanding of its ongoing reforms with the commencement of a four-day capacity-building workshop for journalists on the Service’s Trade Modernisation Project and digital transformation agenda.
The workshop, themed “Enhancing Media Knowledge and Understanding of Customs Modernisation Project,” opened in Abuja on Thursday, bringing together journalists from media organisations across the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, Timi Bomodi, described the media as a critical partner in the success of Customs reforms.
Bomodi said the rapid pace of transformation within the Service made it imperative for stakeholders, particularly journalists, to fully understand the objectives and expected impact of the ongoing reforms.
“A lot is happening within the Service, and sometimes it may be difficult for stakeholders to keep pace with the speed of these developments. That is why engagements like this have become necessary,” he said.
He identified the Trade Modernisation Project as one of the Service’s flagship reforms aimed at eliminating operational inefficiencies, simplifying trade procedures, and creating a more predictable business environment.
According to him, the project is central to the NCS transformation drive through automation, systems integration, and digital platforms designed to build a more transparent, efficient, and globally competitive Customs administration.
“The Trade Modernisation Project sits at the centre of our transformation journey. Through digital platforms, automation of procedures, and systems integration, we are building a Customs administration that is efficient, transparent, and globally competitive,” Bomodi stated.
He further stressed that reforms of such scale require sustained public engagement and understanding, noting that the media serves as the bridge between institutions and the public.
“When change happens, stakeholders must understand not just what is changing, but why it is changing. That is where the media becomes indispensable,” he added.
Earlier, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, said the workshop was carefully designed to equip journalists with practical knowledge of the modernisation project and other institutional reforms.
“In this era of global trade and technological advancement, it has become necessary to carry critical stakeholders, particularly the media, along in this journey of transformation,” Maiwada said.
He noted that beyond technology and infrastructure, the success of Customs modernisation largely depends on effective communication and accurate reportage.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Ahmad Ogunsola, encouraged participants to engage actively during the sessions to gain a clearer understanding of the project and its implications for trade facilitation in Nigeria.
“Our objective is to answer as many questions as possible and ensure that by the end of this engagement, participants leave with a deeper understanding of the project and its impact on trade facilitation in Nigeria,” Ogunsola said.
Dignitaries at the opening ceremony included the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, and the Assistant Comptroller-General in charge of Headquarters, Muhammad Shu’aibu.
Participants were also taken through technical sessions by senior Customs officers, including Deputy Comptroller Nafi’u Salihu, who delivered a presentation on the Integrated Non-Intrusive Inspection System, alongside Assistant Comptroller Bukola Omoniyi and other resource persons.
The workshop, which commenced on Wednesday, 6 May 2026, is expected to conclude on Saturday, 9 May 2026.
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