From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, has delivered the keynote address at the opening of the 46th Session of the World Customs Organisation Enforcement Committee in Brussels, Belgium.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja.
According to the statement, the event marked a historic milestone as it was the first time in the committee’s 43-year history that its opening session was jointly addressed by both the WCO Secretary-General, Ian Saunders, and the Chairperson of the Council.
It noted that the development underscored the growing strategic relevance of the Enforcement Committee and positioned the Nigeria Customs Service at the centre of global customs cooperation.
In his keynote address, Adeniyi commended customs administrations worldwide for their sustained efforts in combating transnational organised crime, stressing the need for coordinated responses to emerging threats.
“Customs enforcement today is no longer about isolated seizures; it is about protecting the integrity of global trade,” he said.
The statement further explained that the session reflected a shift in the committee’s operational focus from a strictly enforcement-based platform to a broader policy-driven body addressing contemporary challenges.
These, it said, include detection technologies, intelligence sharing, supply chain integrity, and trade-based money laundering.
It added that the ongoing review of the committee’s Terms of Reference, last updated in 2009, is aimed at aligning its governance structure with the realities of modern global trade.
The Nigeria Customs Service is also expected to present field-level perspectives on fragile border management, drawing from its operational experience in managing complex border environments.
Adeniyi called for deeper collaboration among customs administrations, noting that collective action remains key to effective enforcement and safer trade systems.
“When Customs administrations work together, enforcement becomes stronger, trade becomes safer, and the global economy becomes more resilient,” he added.
The statement also noted that delegates at the session witnessed a live demonstration of drone technology by the Netherlands Customs team, highlighting the increasing role of modern technology in border surveillance and enforcement.