CUSTOMS INAUGURATES WCO MISSION TO STRENGTHEN ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING CAPACITY

Customs Inaugurates WCO Mission to Strengthen Anti-Money Laundering Capacity

By Babatunde Aremu

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has inaugurated the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Mentoring Mission aimed at strengthening the Service’s capacity to detect and disrupt illicit financial flows.

The four-week mission, inaugurated on Monday, October 19, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, is themed “Strengthening Nigeria Customs Service Capabilities to Effectively Detect and Disrupt Illicit Financial Flows.”
Funded by the United States Department of State, the mission will run from October 18 to November 13, 2026, and will include visits to selected Customs formations in Lagos and key allied agencies, as well as capacity-building sessions for officers in Lagos and Abuja.

Speaking at the inauguration, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, underscored the importance of inter-agency collaboration in tackling money laundering and terrorist financing.

Adeniyi recalled the reforms undertaken by various government agencies which contributed to Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in 2025.
He stressed that the progress achieved must be sustained through continued cooperation among relevant institutions, noting that improvements in one agency must be matched by corresponding progress in others.

The CGC expressed confidence in the commitment of Customs officers participating in the exercise, saying competent and passionate officers would provide the necessary cooperation and learn from the experiences of other Customs administrations.

The Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Strategic Research and Policy, Nafiu Isiaku, subsequently introduced the WCO delegation comprising Jorge Lasmar, Lisa Vallese and Laurent Szymkowiak.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Lasmar said the mission was designed to improve the NCS’s capacity and effectiveness in combating illicit financial flows.

He clarified that the exercise was not an assessment of Customs operations, but an engagement focused on further strengthening the capacity of the Service.
Lasmar thanked the NCS and the Comptroller-General for their guidance and cooperation, assuring that the team would submit a comprehensive report at the conclusion of the mission.
The engagement is expected to enhance the expertise of Customs officers and strengthen collaboration between the Service and relevant agencies in detecting and disrupting illicit financial flows, money laundering and the financing of terrorism.