Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has been elected as the Chairman of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council, effectively making him the top customs officer in the world.
The WCO was established by the convention creating the Customs Co-operation Council in 1950, holding its inaugural session in 1953, and has the council as its highest decision-making body. The WCO comprises over 185 member countries.
CG Adeniyi emerged as the WCO Council chairman during the 145th/146th sessions of the WCO Council held in Brussels, Belgium, on June 28, 2025.
In a statement on his official Facebook page, the NCS boss said “Adeniyi’s unanimous victory marks the first time a Nigerian has ever attained this prestigious global position since the organization’s founding in 1952.”
As Chairperson, Adeniyi now leads global policy direction on trade facilitation, customs enforcement, and modernization. His two-year tenure as chairman of the WCO
officially began on July 1, 2025, succeeding Edward Kieswetter of South Africa. Adeniyi will work closely with WCO Secretary-General Ian Saunders and represent the organization in high-level international forums.
With this position, Adeniyi is widely recognized as the most influential customs officer globally, a testament to his years of leadership, reform, and innovation in the Nigerian Customs Service.
Nigerians at home and abroad have celebrated the appointment as a diplomatic and professional breakthrough. It reflects the growing recognition of Nigeria’s contribution to global trade and customs standards.
Adeniyi’s leadership promises to reshape international customs collaboration for the better, as his election at the WCO remains a historic achievement for Nigeria and Africa.
