Senior Customs Officers Get 2wks Leadership & Management Training

The Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi (MFR), has charged Senior Customs Officers with the tremendous responsibility accorded them in safeguarding the nation’s borders, to facilitate legitimate trade as well as protect societies from various threats in the face of an ever-evolving global landscape. 

He said this during his inaugural speech on Monday, 9th October 2023, at the 2-week Leadership and Management Development (LMD) Workshop for Senior Customs Officers, organised by the World Customs Organisation (WCO), taking place at the Wells Carlton Hotel in Asokoro, Abuja.

Ably represented by Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Ibrahim Alfa, the Ag. Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi (MFR), emphasized that the 2-weeks Leadership and Management Development Workshop is aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of the Customs Officers to tackle the complex and multifaceted challenges they may face as leaders while discharging their duties.

The Acting Comptroller-General of Customs stated that the significance of the training is a substantial step towards improving the Service. He expressed optimism that under the guidance of two WCO technical, operational experts from Finland and Uganda, respectively, as well as other experts from the Secretariats, the participating Officers would have an extraordinary opportunity to learn from the best in the field. 

Acting CGC underscored the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing in the field of Customs administration with WCO. It expressed the Service’s profound gratitude to the WCO for their unwavering commitment to supporting the development of Customs administration worldwide and, in particular, for finding Nigeria Customs Service worthy of such immense technical assistance. 

According to him, the training promises to enhance the Officers’ capabilities in leadership and management, adding that leadership is not merely a title or position. It is a mindset, a way of thinking and acting that inspires and motivates others towards a common goal. 

The NCS Boss encouraged the Officers to actively participate and engage in insightful discussions, share experiences, ask questions and contribute to the collective knowledge they will be building over the course of the workshop. 

Mika Poutiainen, a leadership, management and development expert, noted the intensity of the workshop, which will have roughly 50 different exercises. Some are individual, in pairs, per tables, while some of the exercises would be in ‘tops-barriers’. According to Poutiainen, 30 percent of the LMD Workshop is in theory, while 70 percent would be practical, and its transformative impact on the Officers and the entire Nigeria Customs Service cannot be overemphasised.

On the expectations of some of the Officers during and after the workshop, Comptroller Suleiman Chiroma says he expects to leave the Workshop knowing more about management skills and what leadership entails, which he believes would impact more on his work at the NCS and his future career.