The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has called for sweeping legislative reforms to Nigeria’s customs laws, saying outdated provisions could undermine the country’s efforts to modernise trade administration, boost revenue and align border operations with global standards.
Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of Customs, made the call at a capacity-building retreat organised for the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs on August 5, 2026.
Adeniyi said the rapid transformation of global trade and the NCS’s adoption of digital systems had created the need to review existing legislation governing customs administration.
He said the retreat was designed to give lawmakers a clearer understanding of the Service’s ongoing reforms and enable the Senate committee to provide more effective oversight and legislative support.
According to him, while some provisions of the existing legal framework remain relevant, others have become difficult to implement or have been overtaken by changes in the international trading environment.
