Tinubu extends Customs boss Adeniyi’s tenure

President Bola Tinubu has approved a final six-month extension of the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, allowing him to remain in office until February 2027.

The Presidency said the extension is aimed at enabling Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms in the Customs Service, particularly the implementation of the National Single Window project, while also ensuring a smooth leadership transition.

In a statement issued on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the extension comes as Adeniyi’s current tenure was due to expire on August 1, 2026.

According to the statement, “The six-month extension, which will expire in February 2027, is to enable him to consolidate the implementation of the National Single Window and ensure an orderly succession in the service.”

The Presidency also said Adeniyi would work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service Board during the transition period to strengthen the agency’s leadership structure.

“During the transition period, Adeniyi, working with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Board, will ensure the promotion of eligible officers to the rank of Comptroller of Customs and the compulsory retirement of officers who have attained 60 years of age or have served 35 years,” the statement added.

Adeniyi was appointed Comptroller-General of Customs by President Tinubu in June 2023 after serving in various capacities within the service.

A graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he joined the Nigeria Customs Service in the late 1980s and steadily rose through the ranks. He became a Deputy Comptroller in 2012, Comptroller in 2017, Assistant Comptroller-General in 2020, and Acting Deputy Comptroller-General in January 2023 before his elevation to the top position.

The latest extension is expected to provide continuity for ongoing reforms within the Customs Service and facilitate succession planning ahead of the appointment of a substantive successor.