The Congress of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners (CONMMEP) has honoured Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, Coordinator of the Nigeria Customs Service’s Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, with its 2026 Leadership Excellence Award for Outstanding Enforcement and Trade Facilitation. The award was presented at CONMMEP’s Annual General Meeting, Lecture and Awards Ceremony in Ikeja, Lagos, an event that brought together maritime journalists, regulators, policymakers and industry stakeholders to discuss the role of enforcement, trade and media in Nigeria’s economic development.
CONMMEP President Udo Onyeka said the award recognised Aliyu’s leadership in combining anti-smuggling operations with efforts to facilitate legitimate trade and improve operational efficiency, describing it as reflective of his commitment to professionalism, transparency and intelligence-driven enforcement across the South-West corridor, one of Nigeria’s busiest trade routes.
In its citation, CONMMEP said FOU Zone A had intensified surveillance and enforcement along key border corridors under Aliyu’s leadership, including Idiroko, Seme, Imeko, Ilara and Ilaro, disrupting the diversion of petroleum products and other smuggling activity. The association also credited the Unit’s collaboration with other government agencies for helping speed up cargo clearance for compliant importers and exporters while strengthening border security. “Trade facilitation is not the opposite of enforcement; it is the reward for effective enforcement,” CONMMEP said. “Comptroller Aliyu has demonstrated that curbing smuggling enhances government revenue, stabilises local markets and creates a more competitive environment for legitimate businesses.”
CONMMEP said effective border enforcement plays a role in protecting government revenue, strengthening investor confidence and supporting a rules-based trading environment, adding that improved enforcement has helped reduce revenue leakages, encourage regulatory compliance, and support Nigeria’s push to expand non-oil exports under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The association also reaffirmed its commitment to promoting accountability through responsible journalism, describing the media as a strategic partner in strengthening transparency within the maritime and trade sectors. It praised Aliyu for maintaining an open relationship with journalists, saying that engagement has supported more factual reporting and strengthened public confidence in the Customs Service’s work.
Receiving the award in his office, Aliyu dedicated the recognition to officers and personnel of FOU Zone A, as well as partner security and regulatory agencies, and reaffirmed the Unit’s commitment to intelligence-led operations, border security, and continued facilitation of legitimate trade.
CONMMEP maintained that enforcement and trade facilitation are complementary objectives essential to Nigeria’s economic growth, noting that officials who balance both responsibilities are making a significant contribution to the country’s maritime and border trade corridors.