Nigeria Customs Service Hosts Leadership Retreat for Newly Promoted Comptrollers

 By Lod Onyeji 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) recently organized a 5-day leadership retreat for its newly promoted Comptrollers, aimed at equipping them with the necessary skills for effective service delivery. The retreat, which took place from February 18-22, 2025, at the Ahmad Makarfi Hall of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja, featured a range of lectures and discussions on strategic leadership, service efficiency, and stakeholder management.

Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi delivered the keynote lecture, titled "The Strategic Environment and Effective Service Delivery in the Nigeria Customs Service." He emphasized the importance of Comptrollers seeing themselves as key decision-makers responsible for driving policy implementation at various command levels.

Retreat Highlights

• Strategic Leadership: CGC Adeniyi stressed the need for Comptrollers to take a keen interest in the welfare of their subordinates and to uphold the integrity of the Service.
• -Stakeholder Management: Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada delivered a lecture on Stakeholder Management, Media Relations, and Employee Engagement, highlighting the importance of effective communication in fostering strong relationships with external and internal stakeholders.

• Team Building and Integrity: Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs (DCG) Greg Itotoh and ACG Isah Umar delivered lectures on Team Building and Integrity and Transparency, respectively.
• Leadership Ethics and National Security: Comptroller Haniel Hadison and Comptroller Babatunde Olomu delivered lectures on "Regimentation in the Nigeria Customs Service" and "Border Crisis and National Security: An Appraisal," respectively.

The retreat was facilitated by the Department of Human Resources Development and the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), and was designed to sharpen the leadership skills of the newly promoted Comptrollers and enhance their ability to navigate the complexities of modern Customs operations.