By Ayomide Otitoju
Exactly two years after his historic appointment as Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has been unanimously elected Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Council—the highest decision-making body in global customs administration.
His election took place on Saturday, June 28, 2025, during the concluding session of the 145th/146th WCO Council Meetings held at the WCO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
Adeniyi becomes the first Nigerian to hold the office since the WCO’s founding, succeeding Edward Kieswetter, Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service. The symbolic handover was marked by the hoisting of the Nigerian flag at WCO headquarters, signifying Nigeria’s emergence as a key player in global customs leadership.
Reacting to his election, CGC Adeniyi described the moment as “humbling and historic,” expressing appreciation to member administrations for their confidence in his leadership. “This honour reflects the collective progress of the Nigeria Customs Service and the transformative agenda we’ve pursued over the past two years,” he said.
He pledged to uphold WCO’s core values while advancing its 2025–2028 Strategic Plan. “Customs must now balance facilitation with enforcement, transparency with innovation, and sovereignty with cooperation,” he said, promising to strengthen collaboration, equity, and innovation among member states.
The WCO Council guides customs operations across 185 member countries and oversees all working bodies within the organisation. As Chairperson, Adeniyi will lead high-level discussions on trade facilitation, security, revenue optimisation, and digital transformation. He is also expected to champion developing countries’ concerns, including the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), anti-illicit trade efforts, and customs technology adoption.
In addition to shaping global policy, the Chair also serves a key diplomatic role, representing the WCO at international forums and engaging with multilateral institutions and donor agencies.
Adeniyi praised the outgoing Chair, Edward Kieswetter, for laying a solid foundation and pledged to build on those gains by promoting meaningful dialogue across the global customs community.
With this election, Nigeria is poised to lead reform efforts in global trade and customs, marking a significant diplomatic and institutional milestone for both the country and the African continent.
