Forty years after the initial construction of the Tin Can Island Port (TCIP) Customs administrative building, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has commissioned a holistic reconstruction of the building and two (2) brand new facilities.
The Customs CG presided over the historic commissioning on Tuesday at the TCIP command, even as he described the new look of the Tincan Customs Command as an award-winning project that will be celebrated at the NCS 2024 end-of-year awards.
Speaking at the event, the Customs boss said: “We dedicate this to the glory of God, and for the provision of better and more optimal service to the federal government of Nigeria. I commend Comptroller Dera Nnadi and all his men for the initiative of getting this done. When he told me about it, I never knew that it was such a gigantic project.
“I just thought that they put some brushes and changes here and there. But from what I have seen physically and from the video I’ve seen, this is an award-winning project. The award for the Nigeria Customs Service in 2024, which was supposed to have taken place two weeks ago, will now take place in two days’ time. As Comptroller-General of Customs, I can assure you that we will not forget this project.”
Adeniyi, however, revealed that the government is working on a single window to bring all stakeholders into an automated platform that will allow regulatory oversight and improve operational efficiency.
Meanwhile, he underscored the need for more collaborations between Customs and other agencies of government as well as freight forwarders, terminal operators, shipping companies, among others.
“I want to commend other Area Controllers who decided to prioritize this event and equally encourage you to always engage your stakeholders. When we leave here, I’m also going to the Murtala-Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) for something similar to this, which they have also put together,” Adeniyi said.
On his part, the Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Island Port, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, said the renovation goes beyond mere aesthetics or upgrading physical infrastructure; describing the development as a clear statement of intent that reinforces the CGC’s policy focus on collaboration, consolidation, and innovation.
Nnadi stressed that a well-maintained office complex ensures that officers continue to provide exceptional service and achieve greater results in their core functions of revenue generation and trade facilitation.
His words: “As we celebrate the unveiling of this renovated facility, we must recognize the historical context of this transformation. Since the inception of this Command in 1977, no major renovation has been undertaken to update and modernize the office complex.”
“For decades, our officers have worked diligently within the confines of outdated infrastructure, and today, we witness a transformation that will no longer be just a reflection of the past, but a symbol of the future – a future that is modern, efficient, and committed to service excellence. It is important to note that our work here at Tin Can Island Port goes beyond infrastructure; we are deeply committed to the economic growth of Nigeria.”
He equally disclosed that the Command has made remarkable strides in revenue generation as it has generated over N1.1trillion, a historic figure collected in a single year and over 43 percent more than the entire 2023 revenue of N639billion.
Meanwhile, the highpoint of the event was the celebration of the first Substantive administrator of the Command, Comptroller James Brigue (Rtd) was led the command between 1982 and 1984.
The 96-year old, Brigue, recounted his Customs service years joyfully even as he disclosed that he left the NCS in 1986 to serve as a cleric in Four Square Church.
