Customs Boss, Adeniyi Bags PhD in Leadership and Strategic Studies

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Today marks a defining moment in the illustrious career of Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, FNIPR, DSM, psc+, as he is formally conferred with a PhD in Leadership and Strategic Studies from the Federal University of Lokoja.

The ceremony, held with academic pomp and national pride, celebrates not just the culmination of rigorous scholarship, but the crowning of a man whose intellect and leadership have long shaped Nigeria’s customs landscape.

Adeniyi’s doctoral achievement is more than a personal milestone—it is a national symbol of excellence. Known for his cerebral depth, articulate delivery, and strategic brilliance, he has dazzled audiences and stakeholders alike with presentations that blend grace with poise, grammar with drama, and delivery with results.

For many industry watchers therefore, his PhD is a formal recognition of the intellectual firepower he has wielded throughout his career.

Before this academic honour, Adeniyi had already carved a niche as a moving industry encyclopedia. As the longest-serving Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), he demonstrated unmatched crisis management skills and strategic communication prowess. His ability to neutralize operational challenges gave successive leaderships the confidence to focus on policy, knowing Adeniyi had the public front secured.

Coinciding with his academic achievement is his recent historic appointment as Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council. In this role, Adeniyi now leads 186 customs administrations worldwide, becoming the first Nigerian to hold this position since the WCO’s founding in 1953. His election is a testament to his global reputation as a reformer, strategist, and visionary.

Adeniyi’s journey is marked by accolades and accomplishments that reflect his dedication to service and scholarship. From his early days in customs to his current role as CGC, he has consistently raised the bar for leadership, integrity, and innovation. His PhD is not a beginning—it is a continuation of a legacy built on grit, grace, and greatness.

Since assuming office as CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR has demonstrated exceptional intellectual acumen in steering the Nigeria Customs Service through complex operational, political, diplomatic, and socio-cultural terrains, anchored by a strategic agenda focused on modernization, stakeholder engagement, and global integration.

 Strategic Intelligence in Operational Leadership

CGC Adeniyi’s leadership is defined by precision, foresight, and reform-minded execution. His deep understanding of customs operations honed over three decades—has enabled him to tackle entrenched inefficiencies with surgical clarity. Upon his appointment, he unveiled a three-pronged strategic agenda: Consolidation, Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building.

*Consolidation of Customs Modernization: Adeniyi prioritized automation and data-driven operations, pushing for full implementation of the Nigeria Customs Service Modernization Project (e-Customs). This includes upgrading digital infrastructure, streamlining cargo clearance, and enhancing border surveillance technologies.

*Stakeholder Collaboration and Engagement: Recognizing the political and diplomatic sensitivities of trade facilitation, he initiated robust engagement with government agencies, private sector players, and international partners. His diplomatic finesse has helped resolve inter-agency conflicts and fostered trust across the trade ecosystem.

*Capacity Building and Human Capital Development: Adeniyi’s intellectual rigour is reflected in his emphasis on training, ethics, and leadership development within the NCS. He has championed merit-based promotions, strategic workshops, and international exchange programs to elevate the service’s professionalism.

It must be emphasized that the engagements cuts across navigating political and diplomatic landscapes. As CGC, Adeniyi has skillfully balanced national interests with global customs diplomacy. His election as Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council—representing 186 member nations—is a testament to his diplomatic credibility and strategic vision. He has leveraged this role to:

-Advocate for Nigeria’s interests in global trade policy

-Attract international technical support and funding

-Position Nigeria as a customs reform model in Africa

At the domestic front, he has maintained strong ties with the Presidency, National Assembly, and Ministry of Finance—ensuring policy alignment and budgetary support for customs modernization.

Socio-Cultural Sensitivity and Public Trust

Adeniyi’s tenure is also marked by a nuanced understanding of Nigeria’s socio-cultural dynamics. He has promoted community engagement in border regions to reduce smuggling, supported gender inclusion and youth empowerment within the NCS, reinforced transparency and accountability to rebuild public trust.

His background in public relations has been instrumental in crafting narratives that resonate with diverse audiences—turning customs from a feared institution into a respected public service.

Overall

Under his leadership, the NCS has recorded improved revenue generation and trade facilitation, reduced cargo clearance times at ports, and has strengthened anti-smuggling operations with intelligence-led tactics.

A seasoned administrator and technocrat, Adeniyi has strategically aligned the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by fostering teamwork, institutional synergy, and reform-driven collaboration—anchoring customs modernization within a broader national transformation framework.

His leadership style is deeply rooted in inclusive governance and collaborative execution, delivering through cross departmental synergy based on restructured internal operations.  By breaking silos between enforcement, revenue, and public relations units, he has fostered a culture of shared responsibility and operational coherence.

Savvy in strategic planning and public relations, one of his winning strategies is transparent communication through regular briefings, performance reviews, and open-door policies, which has enhanced trust and accountability across ranks.

This teamwork ethos has translated into faster decision-making, improved field coordination, and a more agile response to operational challenges.

Adeniyi also effortlessly integrated the NCS into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda which emphasizes economic revitalization, institutional reform, and citizen-centric governance as he tactically embedded these pillars into customs operations; raising the bar in revenue optimization, trade facilitation and anti-smuggling crusade.

In fact, President Tinubu publicly commended Adeniyi for “repositioning the Nigeria Customs Service towards greater productivity and increased revenue generation”.

Analysts opine that he views customs as part of a larger economic engine, thus integrating policy, technology, and diplomacy. His approach is not just tactical —its visionary. These outcomes reflect not just operational efficiency, but the strategic brilliance of a leader who blends scholarship with statecraft.

Contacted on the CGC’s academic doctoral achievement, DCG Dera Nnadi mni, one of the CGC’s arch apostles and special envoy, while commenting and congratulating his boss and friend, expressed joy over the development; noting that his joy goes beyond mere celebration of the CGC as a scholar, into the celebration of a statesman whose brilliance, he says has for a long time already, illuminated the path of others and will continue to do so.