By Sandra Chukwunyere
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a six-month extension of the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, allowing him to remain in office until February 2027.
The Presidency said the extension is aimed at enabling Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms within the Service, particularly the implementation of the National Single Window project, while also ensuring a smooth transition to a new leadership.
The approval was disclosed on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who noted that Adeniyi’s current tenure was due to expire on August 1, 2026.
According to the Presidency, the additional six months will provide the Customs chief with the opportunity to complete critical institutional initiatives and work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service Board to facilitate an orderly succession process.
As part of the transition arrangements, the Customs leadership is expected to oversee the promotion of qualified officers to the rank of Comptroller, while ensuring compliance with statutory retirement requirements for officers who have either reached the age of 60 or completed 35 years in service.
Adeniyi began his career in the Nigeria Customs Service shortly after graduating from Obafemi Awolowo University in the late 1980s. Over the years, he rose steadily through the ranks, becoming Deputy Comptroller in 2012, Comptroller in 2017, Assistant Comptroller-General in 2020, and Acting Deputy Comptroller-General in January 2023.
He was appointed Acting Comptroller-General by President Tinubu in June 2023 following the exit of his predecessor, Hameed Ali, and was later confirmed as the substantive head of the Service on October 19, 2023.
Although Adeniyi was originally expected to retire in August 2025 after completing the mandatory 35 years of service, he received a one-year extension from President Tinubu in July 2025. The latest approval now extends his stay in office until February 2027.
Under the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, the President has the authority to appoint a serving officer not below the rank of Assistant Comptroller-General as Comptroller-General. While the law does not prescribe a fixed tenure for the position, appointments remain subject to the Public Service Rules on retirement.
