The President of the National Association of Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC), Prince Adeyinka Bakare PhD, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to extend the tenure of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, by four years.
In an exclusive interview on the B’Odogwu indigenous platform, Bakare praised CGC Adeniyi’s visionary leadership, citing his efforts to elevate Nigeria’s global trade reputation and his commitment to technological innovation through indigenous solutions.
“He has built an enduring legacy with the B’Odogwu platform and positioned Nigeria on the global trade map. His recent election as Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO) is a testament to his professionalism and global relevance,” Bakare stated.
He emphasized that Adeniyi’s tenure should be extended not only to consolidate the gains of the B’Odogwu platform but also to ensure Nigeria continues to benefit from his leadership at the WCO.
Bakare questioned the implications of not extending the CGC’s tenure:
“What happens to B’Odogwu if he leaves? What becomes of Nigeria’s seat at the WCO? Someone once held that position for eight years without being a Customs officer.”
He urged President Tinubu to consider granting Adeniyi a four-year extension, ideally alongside his current management team, to fully stabilize and optimize the B’Odogwu system. Addressing current challenges with the platform, Bakare described them as normal teething issues, similar to past transitions from ASYCUDA to NICIS I and II.
He appealed to freight forwarders, shippers, and other stakeholders to exercise patience, assuring them that the system will improve with time.