The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has been awarded by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) for his exceptional efforts in human capital development within the Nigeria Customs Service. The award was presented on 7 November 2024 at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja.
Representing the Director General of ITF, Dr. Hafiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, Mrs. Phoebe Washam Ochoche, Area Manager and Assistant Director of the ITF, praised CGC Adeniyi for his commitment to the training and retraining of Customs personnel. She noted, “The ITF deemed it fit to give you this award because you have trained and retrained your staff over the years and, because of that, you became the best in that area.”
In his acceptance speech, CG Adeniyi expressed his gratitude for the recognition, affirming that the Nigeria Customs Service views training and capacity building as essential in driving its modernisation agenda. He emphasised the need for continuous skill development to remain relevant in an ever-evolving world and effectively fulfil the Service’s mandate.
“It is obligatory for us to train our officers, retrain them, change their mindsets about issues, and expose them to local and international best practices,” he stated. “This is not a coincidence for us; it is a deliberate strategy to ensure that all our officers, regardless of rank, are trained. We’re beginning to see the benefits as we excel in various performance assessments.”
The Industrial Training Fund, known for conducting research on manpower and industrial training needs, supports employers in addressing human resource development challenges. This award marks a significant recognition of CGC Adeniyi’s vision and efforts to empower the workforce of the Nigeria Customs Service.