The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has made its ICT unit into a full department. Now, Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) KI Adeola is in charge. This new department is called the ICT-Modernization Department.
This decision was made in May during the NCS Board’s 59th meeting. Then on September 10, 2024, at the 60th meeting, Adeola’s new role was confirmed.
Abdullahi Maiwada, the Chief Superintendent of Customs, shared this news on Wednesday on the official NCS X (formerly Twitter) account.
The statement said the new department will focus on making the NCS more digital.
“The Nigeria Customs Service Board approved to change the ICT Unit to a full department during its 59th Regular Meeting on May 14, 2024. This change is very important for the NCS’s modernization efforts.
“Also, DCG KI Adeola is now the head of the new ICT-Modernization Department,” the statement said.
The statement also mentioned that DCG Adeola will have help from an Assistant Comptroller-General and five Comptrollers to make sure the modernization plans work well.
More details
The statement also said that, apart from DCG KI Adeola, the NCS Board also appointed O.A. Alajogun as Deputy Comptroller-General. This happened during their 60th meeting on Tuesday, led by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Economy, Wale Edun.
Moreover, five new Assistant Comptroller-Generals were appointed: I.G. Umar, M.M. Tiley-Gyado, B.A. Makinde, O.A. Salefu, and T. Bomadi.
These appointments were needed because some senior officers retired. They also follow a rule called the Federal Character Policy, explained by Section 14(4) of the Nigeria Service Act, 2023.
Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, congratulated the newly promoted officers. He asked them to work hard in increasing revenue, making trade easier, and stopping smuggling in Nigeria.
What you should know
The upgrade of the NCS’s ICT unit to a full department is important because the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recently had problems with its online passport platform.
Many Nigerians reported issues with the online portal, like trouble verifying their National Identification Number (NIN) because of connection problems, and unexpected changes in appointment dates.
The new ICT-Modernization Department is expected to fix these issues, improving efficiency and reducing delays for everyone.