…As CGC Adeniyi Calls for Reflection, Discipline, Team-Driven Leadership
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to leadership development with a strategic training programme for senior officers under the Senior Customs Command and Leadership Course at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada.
Commencing on Monday, 3 February 2026, the course reflects the Service’s determination to prepare officers for higher responsibilities amid evolving operational, security, and trade facilitation challenges.
Speaking at the event on Tuesday, 4 February, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, described the programme as a defining investment in the Service’s future. He cautioned against the erosion of standards and accountability as senior officers transition out of the system, stressing that leadership within the NCS must be exercised at every level.
“At this level, your success is determined less by what you know and more by who you are,” Adeniyi stated.
He emphasised that authority amplifies character—exposing both strengths and weaknesses—and urged participants to embrace reflection, discipline, and values-driven leadership. Growth, he noted, comes from discomfort, not comfort zones.
The training featured intensive sessions on leadership essentials, including authenticity, integrity, emotional intelligence, effective communication, strategic thinking, and stakeholder management. A striking case study drew lessons from the 4×100-metre relay race, underscoring teamwork, synergy, timing, and collective responsibility as critical to institutional success.
Discussions also examined how breakdowns in teamwork can foster hostile and hypocritical work environments, while highlighting the core elements of high-performing teams: mindset, mission, methods, movement, message, and leadership by example.
Adeniyi challenged officers to justify the Service’s investment in their development by translating knowledge into results—building capable teams and preparing others for future leadership roles. He congratulated participants on reaching a significant career milestone and encouraged them to absorb the experience fully, reflect honestly, and apply the lessons to advance the NCS.