In a bold call to action, the Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, has urged newly promoted Deputy and Assistant Comptrollers to embrace innovation, integrity, and continuous learning as they step into higher leadership roles within the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Speaking at the opening of a special leadership and capacity-building training organized for the newly elevated officers on Wednesday, Comptroller Oshoba described their promotions as both “a reward for hard work and a call to greater service.”
He emphasized that their new ranks come with heightened expectations, not only from the NCS management but also from the Nigerian public, urging them to align with the modernization and reform vision championed by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR.
“These elevations come with benefits, challenges, and responsibilities. The Service demands more commitment, innovative thinking, and an unwavering dedication to excellence in delivering the CGC’s reform agenda,” Oshoba declared.
The Apapa CAC noted that Customs operations are increasingly knowledge-driven, citing key modernization initiatives such as the Advance Ruling System, Time Release Study, Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, and the One Stop Shop mechanism — all of which are reshaping trade facilitation and compliance across Nigeria’s ports.
He urged the newly promoted officers to master and deploy these tools effectively to boost operational efficiency, strengthen compliance, and sharpen risk management practices.
“Instances of non-compliance — whether due to ignorance or deliberate circumvention — demand greater vigilance and smarter use of technology for effective risk assessment,” he cautioned.
Comptroller Oshoba also encouraged participants to leverage the training for professional growth, emphasizing the value of collaboration, peer learning, and network building among officers across commands.
“As new leaders, some of you will be entrusted with sensitive duties — from password management to personnel supervision. Uphold the principles of justice and honesty, which remain the core values of our Service,” he reminded.
Reaffirming the NCS’s commitment to continuous training and retraining, Oshoba noted that capacity building remains a top priority under the present Customs leadership, forming part of the Service’s long-term strategy for institutional excellence.
He concluded with optimism:
“To the glory of God and for the benefit of participants and facilitators, I hereby declare this course open.”
The training, held at the Apapa Area Command Headquarters, is designed to equip the newly promoted officers with advanced leadership competencies and operational knowledge critical for sustaining Customs modernization and effective trade facilitation.
