The 62nd Regular Board meeting of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) may have marked a significant moment for Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) as he may be proceeding on his terminal leave.
The gathering may well be his final official duty leading the law enforcement agency before embarking on a mandatory three-month terminal leave, a transition expected to signify his departure from the NCS.
Adeniyi joined the NCS as a Cadet in 1990 and rose to become Deputy Comptroller of Customs in 2012 and was eventually appointed as the CGC in June 2023 by President Bola Tinubu.
Sources disclosed that, baring any last minute change in plan, CGC Adeniyi is scheduled to begin his terminal leave today, Monday, 5 May, 2025, having put in 35 years in service.
However, he is yet to receive confirmation from President Bola Tinubu regarding a possibility of the extension of his tenure.
Despite having formally submitted a request for this extension— a courtesy previously granted to 12 senior officers due to their crucial roles within the agency—no decision has been communicated to Adeniyi.
Should the president failed to give a new directive in the new week to endorse tenure extension for Adeniyi, the Customs chief will need to hand over responsibilities to the most senior officer within the Service.
The new officer would manage the NCS operations on an acting basis until President Tinubu makes a decision about either appointing the acting officer as the new substantive Comptroller General or selecting a new candidate to lead.
As gathered, the expectation of Adeniyi had been that, following the president’s return from a recent foreign trip, his request would be approved.
However, this optimism has waned as there has been no indication of the president’s decision-making related to Adeniyi’s situation.
According to sources, both the Presidency and the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, who oversees the NCS, have refrained from providing clear communication or interpretation of the president’s intentions.
A senior aide to President Tinubu, speaking under the condition of anonymity, remarked that the current political climate rendered it difficult to ascertain the president’s position on Adeniyi.
Meanwhile, Edun has reportedly instructed Adeniyi to proceed with his retirement leave as mandated by law, ensuring all relevant documents concerning Customs operations are handed over to the most senior officer.
The step by Edun, it was said, was intended to avert any potential leadership vacuum within the Customs during the transitional period.
Reports also suggested that the directive for Adeniyi to begin his terminal leave was communicated following the Board meeting held at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
The meeting, it was said, served as a critical framework for evaluating the agency’s operational strategies, financial contributions, and reform initiatives, especially considering the impressive ₦1.75 trillion revenue the NCS achieved in the first quarter of 2025.
Describing the Board meeting as productive, Edun had emphasised the principles of open governance and transparency that should guide public institutions.
He reportedly advised Adeniyi that advancing to his leave would mitigate any public backlash that might arise from his continued presence in the role, particularly in light of the pending decision from the president regarding his extension.
Following the discussion with Edun, Adeniyi was observed taking last-minute actions in anticipation of the possibility that President Tinubu may not approve his request for an extension.
The educational background of CGC Bashir Adeniyi is noteworthy. He attended Modakeke High School from September 1974 to June 1979 and subsequently Ejigbo Baptist High School from September 1980 to June 1981.
Furthering his education, he enrolled at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) from October 1983 to June 1987, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in International Relations.
Additionally, he attended the Nigerian Institute of Journalism twice, first from July 1989 to September 1989, and later from May 1990 to May 1990, enhancing his expertise in communication and public affairs.
