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The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Mfr, Phd has pledged to revitalize the long-standing institutional relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service and Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja), with renewed support aimed at improving learning, research and student development. ‎ ‎CGC Adeniyi made the commitment at the Customs Headquarters, Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, while receiving the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Hakeem Fawehinmi, who led the institution's principal officers on a courtesy visit. ‎ ‎Speaking during the engagement, the Comptroller-General recalled his long-standing institutional relationship with the university, noting that efforts to establish a formal partnership between the two institutions date back several years. ‎ ‎ He said, “I have a long institutional history with this university. During my tenure as Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, we made serious efforts...

From left: President, Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), Dr. Femi Egbesola and Head, SME Segment, Union Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Ayokunnumi Abraham during the presentation of the Best Bank for SME Growth Banking Initiative Award, 2025, to Union Bank of Nigeria at the 6th Nigeria National SME Business Awards (NNSBA), held on April 30, 2026, at the Rotary Centre, Ikeja, Lagos Union Bank of Nigeria has been named winner of the Best SME Growth Banking Initiatives Award (2025) at the Nigeria National SME Business Awards, organised by the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) in partnership with the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment. The recognition arrives at a moment when the relationship between Nigerian banks and Nigerian small businesses is being quietly redefined. Awards in this space have historically rewarded scale and product breadth. The ASBON criteria, by contrast, ask a more practical qu...

Chris Ofikulu, Executive Director, Retail & Commercial Banking, Polaris Bank, presents office equipment for takeoff and smooth operation of NACCIMA Export Support Centre in Lagos recently. P olaris Bank, Nigeria’s leading digital retail and commercial bank, has proudly facilitated the launch of the NACCIMA Export Support Call Center, a vital initiative designed to provide comprehensive support to Nigerian exporters, especially those operating in the non-oil sector and enhance their ability to access global markets. This partnership marks a significant step in the Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s export ecosystem. ‎ ‎Chris Ofikulu, Executive Director of Polaris Bank, in his address, emphasised the Bank’s commitment to empowering Nigerian businesses for global markets. He highlighted the importance of the NACCIMA Call Center as a key resource for exporters, offering valuable information, knowledge, expert guidance, and advisory services to navigate the complexities of i...

... Recovers Goods Worth ₦5.5bn, Within 8Weeks ‎... Nabs 71-yr-Old Man With N2.35b Of Narcotics ‎ ‎ The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has continued to unleash terror to smugglers and criminal elements operating within the  South West states of Nigeria as it thwarted 473 smuggling attempts and recovered ₦5.5 billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV) within 8weeks of intensified operations across the region. ‎ ‎Disclosing this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Ikeja, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu  attributed the success to advanced surveillance, intelligence sharing, and inter-agency collaboration. ‎ ‎According to the Comptroller,  Key seizures between 3rd February and 28th April 2026 includes; ‎ ‎ Rice - 8,794 bags of 50kg, equivalent to 15 trailer loads ‎ ‎ Cannabis Indica ‘Ghanaian Loud - 3,340 parcels weighing 1,540kg ‎ ‎Cocaine & Methamphetamine - 6.4kg with a street value of ₦2.35 billion, intercepted in a Toyot...

‎ Executive Secretary/CEO, NSC, Dr. Akutah Pius, MON (fifth from left), Director-General of the ACCI, Mr. Agabaidu Chukwemeka Jideani (fourth from left), Head, Abuja Liaison Office of the Council, Dr. Pauline Osasona (sixth from left) and other delegates during the meeting The Nigerian Shippers’ Council NSC, and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry ACCI, have agreed to forge a strategic partnership in order to build stronger ties focused on fostering economic growth by boosting non-oil export trade and empower exporters. ‎ ‎Executive Secretary/CEO of the Council, Dr. Akutah Pius, MON, while speaking when he received the Director-General of the ACCI, Mr. Agabaidu Chukwemeka Jideani and his team at the NSC Liaison Office in Abuja, also hinted that the Council was planning to leverage its Cargo Defence Fund to train exporters on documentation, shipping contracts and global best practices, as part of measures to address recurring issues of poor packaging, among others, which ofte...

‎  ‎ ‎The Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association Nigeria (WISTA Nigeria) successfully convened its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on April 30 in Lagos, bringing together members and key stakeholders across the maritime and logistics sectors to review progress, strengthen governance and chart the course for the future. ‎ ‎ A major highlight of the AGM was the re-election of Dr. Odunayo Ani, who also serves as Director of Finance at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, alongside a newly constituted executive committee. The outcome reflects strong member confidence in the leadership team following a widely acknowledged impactful first tenure marked by institutional growth, enhanced partnerships and increased global visibility. ‎ ‎ The AGM also underscored WISTA Nigeria’s commitment to financial accountability and transparency, as members reviewed and adopted the association’s financial reports, reaffirming its dedication to sound governa...

W ith a view to eradicating things that seems as trade barriers along the Seme Badagry border corridors, the Nigeria Customs Service NCS, Seme Area Command has forged an alliance with critical stakeholder operating along the Lagos-Abidjan business corridor by seeking collaboration and engagement. ‎ ‎ ‎The Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Kaila disclosed this during a series of familiarisation visit  to the Palace of traditional rulers and heads of sister security agencies signifying commitment to achieving the goals and objectives of the Service in line with the Federal government economic policies. ‎ ‎ According to a press release issued by the Command Public Relations Officer, SC JT Ayagbalo , the Comptroller while speaking at the Palace of Oba Akran of Badagry Kingdom, the Controller condolled with the royal family and entire people of Badagry kingdom on the passing away of  ‎HRM De Wheno Aholu Menu Toyi I who was a well recognized traditional ruler acro...

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on 29th April 2026 held a diplomatic engagement with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Abuja, where both parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trade relations and customs cooperation between Nigeria and the UAE. ‎ ‎ During the engagement, the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Salem Saeed, congratulated the CGC on his emergence as Chairman of the World Customs Organization (WCO), describing it as a proud achievement for Nigeria and Africa. ‎ ‎He praised the CGC and his management team for their leadership and commitment, noting that the partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service and the UAE has produced strong results, particularly in non-oil trade. ‎ ‎ “We have achieved a substantial increase in non-oil trade from the year 2023 to 2025. Despite the challenges over the years, this remains one of the best relationships we have had,” the Ambassador said. ‎ ‎He also disclose...

‎L-R: Joseph Okpanachi Adejoh, Superintendent of Customs I; (Centre) Ololade Dawodu, Head of Clearing and Forwarding at SIFAX Shipping; and other guests during the premiere of the Customs movie, Novara, at Viva Cinema, Ikeja. SIFAX Group in a landmark evening event that brought together the worlds of commerce, security and storytelling, was prominently recognized as a major sponsor at the star-studded premiere of ‘Novara’,  the Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS) debut feature film, held on Saturday April 25, 2026 at the Viva Cinemas, Jara Mall, Ikeja, Lagos.  ‎ ‎The high-profile event which drew senior customs officials, industry leaders, members of the diplomatic community, and entertainment figures, marked an unprecedented moment in Nigeria’s institutional storytelling, with the NCS leveraging the  power of cinema to illuminate the bravery and sacrifices of its officers in the relentless fight against smuggling. ‎ ‎Representing SIFAX Group at the event was Mrs. Ololad...

The Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) on Wednesday 28th of April 2026 inaugurated a new state executive and launch a rescue team to collaborate the efforts of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) in maintaining sanity and free flow traffic on the roads. ‎ ‎The event, which was held at the RockView Hotels Apapa was witnessed by many industry operators, representatives from the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Maritime Police, NARTO,   LASTCOC as well as officials from the Apapa Local and other stakeholders in the maritime sector. ‎ ‎ In his welcome speech, the outgoing Lagos State chairman of AMATO, Alhaji Lukman Shittu ( Zangalo ) said that there is a real need for all maritime truck operators to form a critical mass of unified force so that the interest of truckers can be jointly addressed.  In his words “As far as this Association is concerned an inj...