ZAINAB JUNAID
In an effort to entrench a culture of transparency and strengthen ethical standards across its operations, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, received a high-level delegation from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for the deployment of the Ethics and Compliance Scorecard (EICS) and the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) Effectiveness Index (AEI).
The meeting, held at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja, underscored the commitment of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, to institutional integrity, ethical compliance, and improved service delivery in line with federal anti-corruption directives.
Representing the CGC, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs (ACG) in charge of Headquarters, Isah Umar, described the exercise as a welcome initiative and reaffirmed the Service’s readiness to partner with the ICPC in strengthening its internal systems.
“This is an important oversight process to evaluate ethics and integrity levels across government agencies. For us in the Nigeria Customs Service, it aligns with our broader reforms aimed at ensuring professionalism, accountability, and citizen-focused service delivery,” Umar stated. “We have carefully reviewed the requirements of this assessment and assembled all relevant documentation. We invite the ICPC team to critically review them, and we remain open to collaboration for continuous improvement.”
Contributing, the Comptroller, Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), Emmanuel Oshoba, and the Comptroller, Special Duties, Hannel Hadison, also noted that the NCS has since institutionalised its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) across its Commands and Formations.
Active desk officers within the unit are driving anti-corruption messaging, monitoring compliance, and promoting transparency within the Service.
During the visit, Umar Sani, Team Lead of the ICPC delegation, noted that the deployment of the EICS and AEI tools is part of the Commission’s annual preventive strategy for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure adherence to ethical standards.
“The deployment of the Ethics and Compliance Scorecard and the ACTU Effectiveness Index is a preventive tool to ensure MDAs, including the Nigeria Customs Service, are compliant with institutional ethics and procedures,” he said. “It also evaluates transparency and accountability structures and assesses the strength of internal systems.”
Sani explained that the EICS evaluates MDAs using four major components which are management structure and culture, financial management system, administrative system and ACTU effectiveness index.
He emphasised that the ACTU, domiciled in all MDAs, plays a crucial role in sensitising staff against corruption and reporting unethical practices through structured channels in collaboration with the ICPC.
