BY EMMA PETER, ABUJA
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has inaugurated a four-week mentoring mission organised by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) to strengthen its capacity to detect, investigate and disrupt illicit financial flows, including money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
The mission, inaugurated on Monday, October 19, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, is themed “Strengthening Nigeria Customs Service Capabilities to Effectively Detect and Disrupt Illicit Financial Flows.”
Funded by the United States Department of State, the programme runs from October 18 to November 13, 2026, and is designed to improve the Service’s operational capacity to tackle cross-border financial crimes through specialised training, technical guidance and inter-agency collaboration.
As part of the exercise, the WCO delegation will visit selected Customs formations and relevant partner agencies in Lagos, while capacity-building sessions will be conducted for officers in both Lagos and Abuja.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, underscored the importance of cooperation among government institutions in combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
Adeniyi recalled the coordinated reforms undertaken by relevant government agencies that contributed to Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in 2025, stressing the need to sustain the gains recorded through continuous institutional improvements.
He noted that progress made by one agency must be complemented by similar efforts across other institutions responsible for tackling illicit financial activities.
The Customs chief expressed confidence in the willingness of officers to learn from international best practices and apply the knowledge gained to improve the Service’s operations.
“Competent officers who have passion for the job will give you all the cooperation to ensure we learn from other Customs administrations regarding what we are doing and how we can do better,” he said.
Earlier, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Strategic Research and Policy, Nafiu Isiaku, introduced the WCO delegation to the Service.
The delegation comprises Jorge Lasmar, Lisa Vallese and Laurent Szymkowiak, who will work with the NCS during the mentoring exercise to strengthen its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing capabilities.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Lasmar clarified that the engagement was not intended to assess the operations of the Nigeria Customs Service but to provide technical support aimed at improving its institutional capacity.
“The mission is not an assessment of Customs operations, but an engagement aimed at further strengthening the capacity of the Nigeria Customs Service,” he said.
Lasmar thanked the NCS management and the Comptroller-General for their guidance and cooperation, assuring that the delegation would submit a comprehensive report at the conclusion of the exercise.
The mentoring mission is expected to enhance the expertise of Customs officers, strengthen cooperation with relevant agencies and improve the Service’s ability to identify and disrupt illicit financial networks operating across Nigeria’s borders.
The initiative also reinforces the importance of international cooperation and sustained capacity development in addressing financial crimes that threaten national security and the integrity of the global financial system.
