Abuja, Nigeria | July 11, 2026
By: Chioma Vivian James
A coalition of independent Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has strongly dismissed claims linking the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to the rising cost of food in the country, describing the narrative as misleading, politically motivated, and designed to undermine ongoing reforms within the Service.
The coalition asserted that recent calls for the removal of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, are being orchestrated by cross-border smuggling networks and import cartels whose illegal operations have suffered significant setbacks under the current Customs administration.
According to the group, holding the Customs Service responsible for food inflation amounts to economic misrepresentation, noting that the agency’s constitutional mandate is to safeguard Nigeria’s borders, protect local industries, and prevent the nation from becoming a dumping ground for heavily subsidized foreign products.
The coalition emphasized that several critical facts have been deliberately ignored in the public discourse.
Protecting Local Agricultural Investments
The group noted that the Customs Service’s intensified anti-smuggling operations have helped protect billions of dollars’ worth of investments made by Nigerian farmers, agribusinesses, and the Federal Government in the agricultural sector. Allowing unrestricted inflow of smuggled food products, it argued, would devastate local production and threaten the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians across the agricultural value chain.
Safeguarding Foreign Exchange Stability
The coalition further warned that indiscriminate importation of food commodities would place enormous pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves. Such a development, it said, would increase demand for foreign currencies, weaken the Naira, and ultimately worsen inflationary pressures across the economy.
Strengthening National Security
Beyond economic considerations, the CSOs highlighted the strategic role of the Nigeria Customs Service in preventing the illegal entry of small arms, light weapons, and other contraband that contribute to insecurity across the country. The coalition described the agency’s firm border enforcement measures as an essential component of Nigeria’s national security architecture.
The coalition maintained that rather than being subjected to unwarranted attacks, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi deserves recognition for his leadership and reform-driven approach. It cited record-breaking revenue generation, the plugging of financial leakages, enhanced trade facilitation, and sustained anti-smuggling successes as evidence of the progress recorded under his stewardship.
“History will favour leaders who choose long-term national prosperity over short-term political convenience. The ongoing reforms at the Nigeria Customs Service are designed to strengthen Nigeria’s economic sovereignty, promote local production, and secure the nation’s future,” the coalition stated.
Consequently, the coalition passed a resounding Vote of Confidence in the Comptroller-General and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, policymakers, and members of the public to disregard what it described as propaganda sponsored by vested interests seeking to reverse hard-earned gains in border management and economic protection.
The coalition reaffirmed its support for the Customs Service and encouraged the CGC to remain focused on his mandate of securing Nigeria’s borders, protecting local industries, and advancing the country’s economic resilience.
Signed
Comrade James Okoronkwo
Convener / Director of Strategic Communications
Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Economic Security and Justice
