President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended the tenure of Nigeria's Customs chief by another six months on Friday.
Comptroller General Adewale Adeniyi will now serve until February 2027, the presidency announced through Bayo Onanuga, the president's media adviser.
This marks Adeniyi's second extension in office. His initial term was set to expire on August 1, 2026.
According to Onanuga, the extra time allows Adeniyi to finalize work on the National Single Window initiative. It also gives space for a smooth transition within the service.
During these final months, Adeniyi and the Nigeria Customs Service Board will handle key personnel matters. They'll promote qualified officers to the rank of Comptroller of Customs as needed.
The board will also process mandatory retirements for officers who've reached 60 years or completed 35 years of service. This ensures proper succession planning.
Adeniyi's career spans decades in the Customs Service. He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University in the late 1980s before joining the agency.
He climbed the ranks steadily over the years. By 2012, he'd made Deputy Comptroller; in 2017, he became Comptroller.
His rise accelerated afterward. He reached Assistant Comptroller General in 2020 and Acting Deputy Comptroller-General in January 2023.
President Tinubu appointed him Comptroller General in June 2023. The latest extension now extends his leadership well into next year.
