The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has commissioned the Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Analytics Centre for Excellence at the Apapa Area Command, as part of efforts to strengthen data-driven operations and modernise customs administration.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony in Lagos, the CGC emphasised the growing importance of data in global trade and customs management, noting that credible data remains essential for effective risk management and operational efficiency.

“Data is the new currency of international trade, and we value data a lot because it is the backbone of our risk management engine. And we cannot pretend to have a modern customs administration if we do not have credible data to support it and drive the operations,” Adeniyi said.

He commended the Customs Area Controller, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, and his team, for embarking on the project, while encouraging officers to ensure that intelligence generated from data analysis is effectively translated into operational outcomes.

Oshoba said the facility, which houses the Customs Intelligence Unit and the Command’s clinic, reflects the service’s commitment to technology-driven enforcement and improved welfare for officers.

“This infrastructure is a direct reflection of the vision of our Comptroller-General to leverage modern technology and analytics to fight smuggling, secure our nation and facilitate legitimate trade,” he stated.

Following the commissioning, the Comptroller-General toured the facility, assuring compliant traders and investors of continued trade facilitation and predictability in cargo clearance processes.