Customs Backs Nigeria’s $1tn Economy Target, Adeniyi Demands Action Over Rhetoric

By Stella Okocha

The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has pledged the full support of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) towards achieving Nigeria’s ambitious $1 trillion economy target, urging institutions and citizens to move beyond rhetoric and translate national plans into measurable results.

Adeniyi made the commitment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, while delivering a keynote address at the New Nigeria Festival held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Conference Hall in Abuja.

The Customs boss said the $1 trillion economic target was achievable if strategies and policies designed to attain it were effectively implemented.

According to him, the NCS has already moved beyond discussions and ideas by introducing practical reforms aimed at supporting economic growth, improving the business environment and strengthening government revenue.

He cited the Service’s ongoing Modernisation Reforms, including the deployment of B’Odogwu, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme and the Advance Ruling mechanism, as key initiatives designed to facilitate legitimate trade and make Nigeria’s trading environment more predictable.

“Execution is nothing if it is not concrete. We have to move from ideas to action and ensure that whatever we plan translates into results. That is how we can begin to see the kind of transformation we are talking about,” Adeniyi said.

The CGC stressed that achieving a $1 trillion economy could not be the responsibility of government agencies alone, noting that the target required the collective commitment of institutions, businesses and citizens.

He said the NCS, given its mandate in revenue collection, trade facilitation and border management, was strategically positioned to play a significant role in Nigeria’s economic transformation.

Adeniyi called for a decisive shift from policy pronouncements to implementation, insisting that national aspirations would only become reality when institutions and citizens took ownership of their responsibilities.

He urged stakeholders to ensure that plans were translated into concrete, measurable actions capable of delivering sustainable economic growth and improving the country’s overall development.

The CGC reiterated the Customs Service’s commitment to supporting policies and initiatives that would expand legitimate trade, enhance revenue generation and create a more efficient and predictable business environment as Nigeria works towards its $1 trillion economic ambition.