Nigeria Customs plans to deploy AI, advanced scanners and cargo tracking systems to tackle smuggling, corruption and emerging security threats

The Nigeria Customs Service has announced plans to strengthen intelligence-led enforcement through artificial intelligence, advanced scanners and electronic cargo tracking systems to combat smuggling, internal corruption and emerging security threats.

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The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, said the service must move beyond conventional enforcement methods by embracing technology, stronger inter-agency collaboration and professional policing to confront increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.

He also warned that customs officers must be held accountable for their actions, stressing that the exercise of police powers must comply with the law and respect human rights.

Adeniyi spoke on Thursday at the inaugural Customs Police Summit 2026, organised by the Customs Police Unit in Abuja, where he outlined measures to strengthen internal discipline and border enforcement.

He said criminal networks were becoming more sophisticated, exploiting legitimate trade routes and digital channels to move firearm components, narcotics, counterfeit medicines, protected wildlife and illicit funds.

Speaking at the event, Adeniyi said customs authorities had a dual responsibility to facilitate legitimate trade and prevent illicit trade, adding that neither objective could be achieved without a disciplined and trusted police unit.

“I stand before you in two capacities: as Comptroller-General of Customs and as Chairperson of the WCO Council. From both positions, one truth is clear. Customs must facilitate legitimate trade and stop illicit trade and it can do neither without a disciplined and trusted police unit to uphold its own standards,” he said.

The Customs chief identified integrity, restraint and cooperation as essential principles guiding enforcement operations.

He said the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 empowered officers to exercise police powers but insisted that searches, arrests and detentions must have lawful grounds and withstand public and judicial scrutiny.

Adeniyi also cited coordinated initiatives such as the One-Stop Shop as examples of how enforcement and trade facilitation could complement each other.

He said international frameworks and programmes, including the World Customs Organisation’s SAFE Framework, the Authorised Economic Operator programme, advance rulings, the Time Release Study and the Revised Kyoto Convention, could help improve compliance and enable officers to focus on higher-risk activities.

“Our answer must be smarter, not harder,” he said, adding that risk-based enforcement could also reduce opportunities for abuse and corruption.

On technology, Adeniyi identified the service’s B’Odogwu digital platform, which integrates declarations, valuation and risk management processes, as well as the INTERPOL Data Centre at Customs Headquarters, as important tools for improving intelligence gathering and investigations.

However, he cautioned that technological systems must not replace human judgment or established legal procedures.

“Algorithms may flag risks, but only officers acting within the law can exercise enforcement powers, with audit trails, data protection and human oversight at every step,” he said.

The Comptroller-General also called for a review of some responsibilities originally assigned to the Customs Police Unit in 2019, particularly the monitoring of containers in transit.

According to him, advances in cargo tracking technology have created more effective ways of monitoring the movement of goods, making it necessary for the unit to reassess its traditional responsibilities and identify areas where modern systems can improve efficiency.

Adeniyi said the unit must also strengthen internal accountability, arguing that the service could not demand integrity from traders and members of the public without upholding the same standards among its personnel.

He recalled that customs administration in Nigeria dated back to 1891, while preventive enforcement arrangements were established in 1945.

The Customs Police Unit was inaugurated in July 2019 to investigate misconduct among personnel, prevent crime and ensure compliance with established regulations.

Adeniyi said the principle that no officer was above the law remained central to the unit’s mandate.

He outlined three strategic pillars for repositioning the unit: consolidation, collaboration and innovation.

He explained that consolidation would involve establishing clear procedures for arrests, detention and investigations, improving case-file management and providing continuous professional development for personnel.

On collaboration, he called for stronger partnerships with the Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Department of State Services, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other relevant institutions.

He said no single agency could effectively tackle illicit trade without sustained cooperation and intelligence sharing.

The Customs chief urged participants to develop a comprehensive doctrine for the Customs Police Unit, anchored on the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and the Revised Arusha Declaration.

Earlier, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs and Provost Marshal, TS Sanusi, emphasised the importance of professional standards, transparency, ethical conduct and anti-corruption measures.

The Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Shuaibu, also described the unit as important to national security, internal discipline and the protection of the service’s institutional reputation.

He called for stronger internal controls, impartial investigations and consistent enforcement of disciplinary standards.

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The summit is expected to produce recommendations on joint operations, intelligence sharing, the responsible use of artificial intelligence, evidence management and specialised training for Customs Police personnel.