President Tinubu Commissions Iperu ₦73b Ultra-modern Customs FOU Zone ‘A’ Office

…Commends Adeniyi for Dedication to Duty

BY KESIANNA SHEPHERDS

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday inaugurated the ambitious construction of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), a landmark enforcement and training facility estimated at ₦73 billion. The ultra-modern complex, located in Iperu, Ogun State, is set to redefine the operational capacity of the Customs Service in its fight against smuggling and in its broader mandate of trade facilitation and revenue generation.

The commissioning ceremony, attended by dignitaries including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, former Governor Segun Oshoba, and other top government officials, marked a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s quest to modernize its customs infrastructure.

Speaking at the event, President Tinubu not only declared the facility open but also delivered a special commendation to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. He praised Adeniyi’s dedication to duty, commitment to the welfare of officers, and his role in enhancing the ease of doing business. According to the President, Adeniyi’s patriotism and legacy will remain etched in Nigeria’s institutional memory.

The relocation from the long-standing Ikeja base was necessitated by decades of expansion that had outgrown the old facility. The new site, spanning over 50 hectares of land secured through Governor Abiodun’s intervention, offers the scale and modernity required for today’s customs operations.

Officials say President Tinubu’s commissioning of the Customs complex was part of a larger infrastructure rollout in Ogun State. Earlier in the day, he inaugurated the Gateway International Airport, Iperu, alongside two newly acquired aircraft under Gateway Air, signaling the official takeoff of the state’s aviation initiative in partnership with ValueJet.

By linking the Customs facility with the new airport, the administration is positioning Ogun State as a strategic hub for trade, aviation, and enforcement.

Fielding questions from journalists after the commissioning, CGC Adeniyi explained that while the project was conceived at ₦73 billion, inflation and financial realities have stretched the budget, with only 45 percent of the work completed so far. He emphasized the Service’s determination to secure presidential approval for revised funding to ensure completion within President Tinubu’s tenure.

“This facility is not just about bricks and mortar,” Adeniyi said. “It is about creating a conducive environment for our officers, balancing our mandates of enforcement, trade facilitation, and revenue generation, while also boosting morale and welfare.”

For the rank and file of the Nigeria Customs Service, the project represents more than infrastructure, it is clearly a morale booster and a symbol of renewed vigilance. For the nation, it signals a new era of professionalism in anti-smuggling operations, capacity building, and trade facilitation.

The complex includes a state-of-the-art office building for enforcement operations, a Customs Training College to strengthen personnel capacity, residential quarters for officers, a modern armory, and adjacent warehouse facilities to complement aviation-linked operations.

While challenges remain in completing the project, the vision is unmistaken and clear: a modern enforcement office that will serve as the nerve center of Customs operations in the southwest, strategically positioned near the new airport and trade corridors.

As CGC Adeniyi noted, “It would give us delight if Mr. President would give us the enablement to finish this during his tenure.”

With the commissioning, Nigeria takes a bold step toward strengthening its economic security, ensuring that the Customs Service is equipped not only to enforce but also to facilitate the nation’s growing trade ambitions.

More photos from the occassioning ceremony, below: