Global body to study administration of Nigerian Customs Service

Mr ABDULLAHI DIKKO, Comptroller-General, NCS

On 17 February, the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Mr Kunio Mikuriya, disclosed that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has been selected by the global body as a case study for research on modern customs administration.

Mr Mikuriya, a Japanese, said this at the office of the  Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, as he began a working visit to Nigeria. He said WCO was seeking collaboration with the NUC in developing programmes for the project.

Mikuriya explained that the research initiative was in line with the WCO’s theme for 2011, which focuses on knowledge enhancement in all customs organs worldwide. The WCO scribe had, during this year’s World Customs Day in January, advocated enhanced knowledge acquisition among customs organs. He urged the NUC to also develop Customs-specific programmes in Nigerian universities, so as to produce professional Customs administrators who will drive the law enforcement organ to greater heights in future.

Professor Okojie commended the WCO’s initiative, explaining that: “NUC is ready to collaborate with any organ in the development of academic programmes”. He said he would immediately set up a committee to liaise with the Customs body in fashioning the programmes.

Speaking on the development, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Abdullahi Dikko Inde, described it as “a new chapter of knowledge in the history of the Nigeria Customs”. He disclosed that already, the Customs had just established an international strategic institute in Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory, with the aim of expanding knowledge by training its officers in modern customs administration. He thanked the WCO for selecting the NCS for the research project and said he was also enthusiastic to collaborate with the NUC in developing programmes that would benefit the NCS and the Nigerian nation.

The World Customs Organisation (WCO), a 179-member nations’ body, is the only inter-governmental organisation that exclusively focuses on Customs matters. With its worldwide membership, the organisation is now recognised as the voice of the global Customs community. It is particularly noted for its work in areas covering the development of global standards, the simplification and harmonisation of Customs procedures and trade supply chain security.

Its other roles include the facilitation of international trade, the enhancement of Customs enforcement and compliance activities, anti-counterfeiting and piracy initiatives, public-private partnerships, integrity promotion, and sustainable global Customs capacity-building programmes.