Nigeria has taken the spotlight at the 17th Session of the Capacity Building Committee of the World Customs Organization (WCO) in Brussels, unveiling a bold data-driven reform communication model that directly ties customs modernisation to trade efficiency, revenue expansion, and stakeholder confidence.
At the high-level session in Brussels, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) demonstrated how measurable performance indicators — rather than routine activity reports — now define its reform narrative. The approach positions communication as a strategic lever for maritime trade facilitation across Nigeria’s ports and supply chains.
The presentation was delivered by Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, the Service’s National Public Relations Officer, under the leadership of Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi, who also chairs the WCO Council.
Presenting a paper titled “Communicating the Results of Capacity-Building Initiatives More Effectively: Nigeria Customs Service Experience and Lessons Learned,” Maiwada detailed the Service’s deliberate transition from conventional reporting to impact-focused storytelling anchored on verifiable data.
He explained that the new framework rests on three pillars: institutional capacity building, human resource development, and stakeholder engagement — ensuring reforms are not only implemented but clearly understood and trusted within the trade ecosystem.
Using the Time Release Study (TRS) as a case study, Maiwada revealed how transparent data tools and infographics showed that a significant share of cargo clearance delays stemmed from systemic idle time, not inspection procedures.
The result, he said, was a shift from defensive explanations to performance benchmarking, fostering shared accountability among shipping lines, terminal operators, and cargo owners.
On the Advance Ruling programme, the NCS disclosed that 83 Advance Rulings were issued in 2025. Registered accounts surged from 60 in December 2024 to 173 in December 2025 — a 188.3 percent increase in stakeholder participation.
The initiative accounted for 2.9 percent of total revenue from goods valued at N240.89 billion in 2025, reinforcing the role of structured communication in promoting predictability and voluntary compliance.
Under the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, about 120 companies have obtained full certification. Additionally, 3,270 officers were trained nationwide as AEO Champions to deepen implementation and stakeholder engagement.
The Service also highlighted the deployment of its indigenous Unified Customs Management System, B’Odogwu, describing it as a milestone in Nigeria’s digital customs transformation, supported by sustained sensitisation and user engagement.
Maiwada pointed to the Customs Integrity Perception Survey as another breakthrough tool, enabling measurable assessment of integrity management and strengthening public trust through continuous evaluation.
He urged WCO member administrations to embed communication units at the design stage of reform initiatives, humanise institutional processes, sustain engagement beyond isolated events, and enhance peer learning among customs bodies.
At the close of the session, Nigeria nominated LI Yan of China Customs as Chair of the 18th Session of the WCO Capacity Building Committee — a move that received unanimous backing from delegates.
Li Yan, China’s Customs Attaché to Brussels since 2020, has overseen multiple multilateral and bilateral initiatives within the WCO, serving four terms as Vice Chair and securing re-election at the 17th Session — reflecting sustained confidence in her leadership.
For Nigeria, the Brussels engagement marked more than a conference appearance. It signalled a strategic repositioning of customs communication as a measurable driver of maritime efficiency, trade facilitation, and revenue performance — a reform narrative designed to resonate far beyond the conference hall.
