Customs announces strategic overhaul for 2025, disbands JBPT

To improve border management, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has approved major operational reforms as part of the Nigeria Customs Service’s (NCS) 2025 Enforcement Strategy.

The reforms include reducing the number of customs checkpoints across the country to streamline operations and enhance the free movement of goods and people.

A statement from the National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, revealed that the NCS will rely more on actionable intelligence and strategic risk management frameworks to enhance operational efficiency.

“The Service is intensifying efforts to address trade bottlenecks, improve border security, fight smuggling, and encourage legitimate trade,” the statement said.

“The Service is deploying geospatial tools and advanced technologies to ensure the effectiveness of NCS enforcement strategies. This development highlights the Service’s commitment to innovative, intelligence-driven approaches for effective border enforcement and anti-smuggling operations.”

In line with these strategies, the NCS also announced the dissolution of the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) after consultations with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

“This operation, which began in 2019 under the code name ‘Ex-Swift Response’ and later evolved into JBPT, was initially established to enforce the partial border closure policy. Since its creation, JBPT has played a crucial role in curbing the influx of dangerous goods and ensuring compliance with Nigeria’s trade and security regulations,” the statement noted.

“The NCS acknowledges and deeply appreciates the cooperation and commitment of other government agencies that collaborated in this mission. Their invaluable contributions have been key to safeguarding Nigeria’s land borders.”

The NCS reassured stakeholders that the reforms would not compromise border security or trade facilitation, but rather represent a modernised approach to improving compliance, promoting legitimate trade, and strengthening national security.

CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi urged continued support from stakeholders in the fight against economic sabotage.

He reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to securing Nigeria’s borders, facilitating lawful trade, and ensuring the well-being of all Nigerians.