Customs Strengthens Operational Capacity as 50 Officers Graduate from NCCSC

By Harriet Tornguvan 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strengthened its leadership and operational capacity with the graduation of 50 officers from the three month Junior Course 25 at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The graduation ceremony, held on August 28, 2026, marked another milestone in the professional development of officers being prepared to assume greater responsibilities across the Service.

Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour, the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, charged the graduating officers to make integrity, sound judgment and national interest the foundation of their leadership.

Adeniyi said effective leadership in modern Customs administration goes beyond revenue collection, stressing that officers must possess the competence, courage and accountability required to operate in an increasingly complex environment.

“Leadership is not defined solely by the rank that you wear, but is demonstrated through competence, fairness, courage and the responsibility you take,” he told the graduates.

The CGC urged the officers to translate the knowledge and skills acquired during the course into effective performance in their various commands, noting that their training had prepared them to respond more effectively to emerging challenges in Customs operations.

He also stressed the importance of placing national interest above personal considerations, particularly in an agency whose responsibilities span revenue mobilisation, trade facilitation, border security and the protection of the national economy.

The Commandant of the College, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Dow Gaura, commended the graduating officers for their commitment and dedication throughout the programme.

Gaura also highlighted efforts to modernise the institution, including the deployment of digital learning tools and strategic training partnerships with the Nigerian Army aimed at improving the quality and relevance of professional training for Customs personnel.

The ceremony featured the presentation of certificates to all 50 officers who successfully completed the course, while the three best-performing participants received special awards from the Comptroller-General.

The graduation activities had commenced earlier in the week with a regimental dinner on Wednesday, August 26, where the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Suleiman Chiroma, representing the CGC, urged the officers to demonstrate vigilance, professionalism and decisive leadership as they assumed new responsibilities in their respective commands.

The graduation underscores the NCS's continued investment in human capital development as part of efforts to build a more professional, technologically driven and operationally effective Customs Service capable of responding to the demands of contemporary border management and trade administration.