By Ajibola Adedoye
Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service says it is evident that the Nigeria Customs Technical & Hangar Services (NCT&HSL) has made significant strides in this short period, surpassing its achievements in the preceding year, hence the company’s future prospects are even more important to Nigeria.
The Customs Boss made this submission on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 during the maiden Annual General Meeting (AGM) of NCT&HSL in Abuja – an event that brings together key stakeholders from the aviation, customs, and public sector logistics industries.
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In his submission, the Comptroller-General of Customs also commended the company’s achievements since the inauguration of its board last year, stating that it had recorded significant progress.
Reflecting on his recent visit to the company’s hangar, Adeniyi expressed confidence in its investments. “On my way back from Ilorin yesterday, I made a quick visit to the hangar and saw how busy it was. This underscored that we are investing in the right direction.”
The Customs Chief also revealed that the Ministry of Finance had expressed interest in further investment in the company, which, according to him, could provide fresh capital, expertise, and networks to drive growth.
“As the majority shareholder, our expectation is that the company will continue to grow as a profit-yielding entity, providing value to our stakeholders and shareholders,” he stated.
“We recently hosted a roundtable discussion to learn best practices from other government agencies running similar companies,” he added.
Adeniyi reassured the company’s board and management that the NCS would respect its autonomy while maintaining transparency.
“I assure the board and management that the Nigeria Customs Service will treat the company as an independent entity with its own autonomy. However, I must emphasise that transparency and accountability are essential,” he asserted.
The Managing Director of NCT&HSL, Capt. Kuhi Mbaya emphasised the company’s role in modernising customs operations, which is in line with the broader initiative of the Comptroller-General of Customs to establish specialised subsidiaries for enhanced efficiency and revenue generation.
He reiterated the company’s commitment to balancing workforce competence with financial prudence. “We are strategically employing qualified and competent staff while keeping a watchful eye on our salary overheads so that we do not overextend our financial capabilities. We have also made significant strides in legal compliance.”
On cost-cutting measures, he disclosed that the company was adopting smarter financial strategies for maintaining equipment.
“Some of our maintenance equipment are very expensive, and much of it is only used occasionally. Rather than spending tens of thousands of dollars on such equipment when financial prudence is crucial, we are exploring cost-effective alternatives such as leasing or collaborating with other organisations to share resources,” he explained.
He assured stakeholders of the company’s commitment to operational excellence and financial sustainability.
“We continue to seek innovative ways to optimise our expenditure while maintaining the highest safety and compliance standards,” he concluded.
At the closing session of the AGM, the board appointed new auditors and reappointed directors after due consideration.
The meeting set the stage for long-term planning, including upgrading aircraft maintenance facilities, improving ground handling services, and expanding the NCS fleet to support customs enforcement operations.
The AGM was attended by senior officers and management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), and other relevant stakeholders.
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