Customs raises leadership bar as 50 officers graduate from Staff College
Maureen Aguta
Fifty officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have completed the three-month Junior Course 25 at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, Abuja, with Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, challenging them to make integrity, competence and national interest the hallmarks of their leadership.
Adeniyi, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the graduation ceremony on Friday, August 28, 2026, said the evolving nature of Customs operations demanded officers who could combine professional competence with sound judgment and accountability.
He urged the graduates to rise above the pursuit of personal interests, stressing that effective leadership was not measured by rank but by the quality of decisions and responsibilities entrusted to an officer.
“Leadership is not defined solely by the rank that you wear, but is demonstrated through competence, fairness, courage and the responsibility you take,” Adeniyi told the officers.
The CGC said the training had positioned the officers to better navigate the increasingly complex demands of modern Customs administration, where the Service’s responsibilities extend beyond revenue collection to include trade facilitation, border security and economic protection.
He urged them to deploy the knowledge acquired at the college to strengthen operational efficiency and uphold public confidence in the Service.
The Commandant of the NCCSC, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs (ACG) Dow Gaura, commended the graduating officers for their discipline and commitment throughout the programme.
Gaura also highlighted efforts to strengthen the college’s capacity through institutional upgrades, including the deployment of digital learning tools and strategic training partnerships with the Nigerian Army.
According to him, the initiatives are designed to expose Customs personnel to modern approaches to leadership, operational planning and professional development.
The ceremony climaxed with the presentation of certificates to the 50 officers, while the three best-performing participants received special awards from the CGC in recognition of their outstanding performance.
The graduation activities had commenced earlier in the week with a regimental dinner on Wednesday, August 26.
At the dinner, Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Suleiman Chiroma, who represented the CGC, charged the officers to carry the discipline and vigilance acquired during their training into their various post-graduation assignments.
He urged them to demonstrate decisive leadership and remain alert to the operational responsibilities awaiting them across the Service’s commands.
The graduation marks another step in the NCS’s efforts to deepen professional training and build a leadership cadre capable of responding effectively to the changing demands of Customs administration.