Lagos, Oct. 22, 2025,
The Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, has charged the promoted Deputy and Assistant Customs Comptrollers to embrace innovation, integrity, as they assumed higher responsibilities within the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Oshoba made the plea during the opening session of a special training session organised for the newly elevated officers on Wednesday in Lagos.
He applauded the participants on their career advancement, describing their promotions as both “a reward for hard work and a call to greater service delivery.
Oshoba noted that the new ranks come with increased expectations from the service as well s the nation.
He urged officers to exhibit excellence, discipline, and commitment to the modernisation vision of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi.
“These elevations come with benefits, challenges, and responsibilities. The management of the NCS demands more commitment, innovative thinking, and an unwavering dedication to excellence in carrying out the CGC’s reform agenda.
“The customs operations have become more knowledge-driven, with modernization initiatives such as the Advance Ruling System, Time Release Study, Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme, and the One Stop Shop mechanism redefining trade facilitation in Nigeria.
“There are cases of non-compliance, either from ignorance or deliberate circumvention of procedures. This calls for greater alertness and the smart use of technology for risk assessments,”Oshoba said.
The Apapa customs boss also charges the promoted officers to familiarize themselves with these tools and deploy them effectively to enhance efficiency, compliance, and risk management.
Oshoba encouraged officers to leverage the training for professional development, adding that they should interact, exchange ideas, and build networks that would strengthened teamwork and leadership capacity across commands in Lagos.
According to him, as a new leaders, some of you will be entrusted with sensitive duties, including custodianship of release passwords and supervision of junior officers.
He advised the officers to uphold the tenets of justice and honesty, which were core values of the Service.
Oshoba assured that capacity building remains a priority for the Service under the current leadership, with continuous training and retraining forming part of the long-term strategy for institutional excellence.
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He mentioned that the training session, hosted at the Apapa Area command aimed to equip the recent promoted officers with advanced knowledge and leadership skills essential for driving customs modernization and effective trade facilitation.
