Bashir Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has been elected Chairman of World Customs Organization’s (WCO) governing council.
Gatekeepers News reports that NCS confirmed his appointment in a statement on Saturday, noting that his two-year term begins on July 1, 2025.
The statement reads, “WCO Council, the governing body of the organization, comprising the Heads of 186
Customs administrations, has formally endorsed Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General @CustomsNG, as its Chairperson from 1 July 2025.”
“Meeting at the WCO in Brussels and held under the guidance of outgoing WCO Council Chairperson, Mr. Edward Kieswetter,
Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service, the 145th/146th Sessions saw the election of a new Chair following the completion of the maximum two-year duration of the outgoing chair.”
In his remarks, Adeniyi expressed gratitude to the council members for the election and
pledged to prioritise the development and implementation of the WCO’s strategic plan for 2025-2028.
He said, “I hope to build on the progress made so far in the development of the Strategic Plan for 2025-2028 and I look forward to working with the Secretariat and the Vice-Chairs towards its diligent implementation and WCO
modernisation.”
WCO Secretary-General Ian Saunders congratulated Adeniyi and affirmed the council’s support, while acknowledging Kieswetter for overseeing the strategic plan’s launch.
He said, “My deepest congratulations go to Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi on his election as Council Chairperson and I look forward to engaging closely with him as we work to ensure the WCO is fit to navigate the evolving global Customs landscape.”
Additionally, new regional vice-chairmen were appointed for WCO Europe region (United Kingdom) and for East and Southern Africa region (South Africa).
The NCS and the Republic of Belarus have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in customs operations.
Adeniyi signed on behalf of Nigeria, while Belarus was represented by Vladimir Orlovsky, the chair of its State Customs Committee.
According to NCS, the agreement was formalised on June 27 on the sidelines of the 145th/146th sessions of the Customs Co-operation Council at World Customs Organization (WCO) headquarters in Brussels.
The MoU establishes a legal framework for mutual administrative assistance in areas like revenue protection, accurate classification and valuation, prohibition enforcement, and joint operations targeting smuggling and customs fraud.
The statement added, “It is underpinned by core international instruments such as the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961), the Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971), the CITES Convention, and the 1953 WCO Recommendation on Mutual Administrative Assistance,” the statement added.
Adeniyi described the agreement as a significant boost to the NCS’s global customs diplomacy and reform blueprint, especially in areas of information exchange, joint enforcement, and capacity building.
He said, “We are forging a new chapter in international cooperation, one rooted in mutual trust, operational efficiency, and proactive intelligence.”
“This partnership with Belarus strengthens our ability to combat transnational threats, facilitate secure trade, and modernise procedures in line with global best practices.”
He said the development reflects the increasing adoption of an intelligence-led enforcement model, consistent with the NCS’s goal of positioning Nigeria as a hub of innovative and compliant African customs operations.
