By Roland Ekama
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has praised Chief Timothy Okorocha and Mr. Francis Ugwoke for documenting institutional reforms that have strengthened cargo clearance, trade facilitation, and revenue generation.
Speaking at a book launch of “Customs Operational Revolution & Maritime Development Under President Tinubu,” represented by Comptroller C.C. Nwokorie, Adeniyi said accurate documentation of reforms is essential for sustaining improvements in cargo clearance processes.
Adeniyi credited the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy with providing policy focus that supports expedited and more transparent cargo clearance, fostering economic diversification and job creation.
He stated that “Documentation is critical to institutional growth. When reforms are properly documented, future generations can learn from them, policymakers can build upon them, and stakeholders can objectively assess their impact,” .
Adeniyi highlighted six pillars that underpin recent gains in revenue and anti-smuggling work — technology and automation, intelligence-led operations, stakeholder engagement, leadership and accountability, inter-agency collaboration, and trade facilitation reforms — all of which directly affect the speed, transparency, and integrity of cargo clearance at ports and border points.
Co-author Chief Timothy Okorocha said the book was conceived to preserve operational changes and procedural reforms affecting cargo movement across the maritime value chain. He noted the work situates Customs’ clearance reforms within the broader maritime ecosystem and examines how agencies such as NIMASA, NPA, NSC, CRFFN, NIWA, and the Maritime Academy of Nigeria interact to reduce delays, curb fraud, and improve documentation standards.
Reviewer DCG Dera Nnadi (Rtd) described the book as “rich in industry content” and a valuable reference for customs personnel and stakeholders.
He noted the authors move beyond daily reportage to document policy changes and milestones that have shaped cargo-clearance procedures over the past three years — from digitized manifest processing to intelligence-driven targeting and strengthened inter-agency data-sharing.
The launch panel — themed “Three Years After Marine and Blue Economy Ministry: How Far, How Well?” — reflected on the impact of modernization on port efficiency, congestion reduction, and the integrity of cargo documentation.
Industry leaders who sent goodwill messages praised the book for recording reforms that have “upscaled the basket of achievements” in cargo clearance and maritime governance.
The launch was framed not only as a literary milestone but as a call to institutionalize documentation, maintain procedural continuity, and keep improving cargo documentation standards to strengthen trade competitiveness and revenue collection.
