By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews | Tuesday 20, October, 2026
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has inaugurated a four-week World Customs Organisation (WCO) Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Mentoring Mission to strengthen its capacity to detect and disrupt illicit financial flows across Nigeria’s borders.
The inauguration took place on Monday, 19 October 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, with the mission themed, “Strengthening Nigeria Customs Service Capabilities to Effectively Detect and Disrupt Illicit Financial Flows.”
Funded by the United States Department of State, the mission will run from 18 October to 13 November 2026. It is designed to improve the expertise and operational effectiveness of Customs officers in identifying and combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other cross-border financial crimes.
The programme will include visits to selected Customs formations in Lagos and key allied agencies, alongside capacity-building training for officers in Lagos and Abuja.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, underscored the importance of coordinated efforts among government institutions in tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
Adeniyi recalled the reforms implemented by relevant government agencies that contributed to Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in 2025, describing inter-agency collaboration as essential to sustaining the country’s progress in combating illicit financial activities.
He stressed that the achievements recorded by one institution must be matched by improvements in other relevant agencies to ensure a coordinated and effective national response to financial crimes.
The Customs chief expressed confidence in the commitment and professionalism of officers participating in the mentoring mission, assuring the WCO delegation of the Service’s full cooperation throughout the exercise.
“Competent officers who have passion for the job will give you all the cooperation to ensure we learn from other Customs administrations regarding what we are doing and how we can do better,” Adeniyi said.
He noted that the engagement would provide an opportunity for the Service to learn from the experiences and best practices of other Customs administrations, while identifying areas where its existing procedures and operational capabilities could be strengthened.
Following the Comptroller-General’s remarks, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Strategic Research and Policy (S&RP), Nafiu Isiaku, introduced the WCO delegation comprising Jorge Lasmar, Lisa Vallese and Laurent Szymkowiak.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Lasmar explained that the mentoring mission was intended to strengthen the capabilities of the Nigeria Customs Service rather than assess its operations.
“The mission is not an assessment of Customs operations, but an engagement aimed at further strengthening the capacity of the Nigeria Customs Service,” he said.
Lasmar thanked the NCS and the Comptroller-General for their guidance, cooperation and support, assuring that the delegation would submit a comprehensive report at the conclusion of the exercise.
The mentoring mission is expected to enhance the Service’s ability to identify suspicious financial activities, detect illicit financial flows and strengthen its response to financial crimes involving cross-border transactions.
Through specialised training, practical engagement and collaboration with relevant agencies, the initiative is also expected to deepen institutional expertise and promote the exchange of knowledge between Nigerian Customs officers and their counterparts in other Customs administrations.
The engagement forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to combat money laundering and terrorist financing through improved border management, effective information sharing and sustained cooperation among agencies responsible for financial security.
The outcome of the four-week mission is expected to provide the Nigeria Customs Service with additional expertise and practical recommendations to improve its operational effectiveness in detecting and disrupting illicit financial flows.
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