Customs FOU new office building costs N73bn, to boost operational efficiency, trade – Adeniyi

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday commissioned the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) newly completed office building at Iperu, Ogun State.

The President also inaugurated the Customs Training College situated within the same facility.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the commissioning, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, stated that the Customs edifice, which is projected to cost ₦73 billion, was driven by the need to balance the Service’s core mandates of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and enforcement with the welfare and working conditions of its officers.

Adeniyi explained that the relocation from the Ikeja facility in Lagos became inevitable due to the massive expansion of the Service over the last three decades.

“When we joined the service over 30 years ago, Ikeja was a very big place for us; it was enough to accommodate all those activities. But over the years, the operations, the size, and the scope of our mandates have expanded significantly. We needed a space that is comfortable, convenient, and more conducive for our personnel.”he said.

Adeniyi said the newly commissioned facility is equipped with modern operational infrastructure, fully furnished office complext, modern armory to enhance enforcement capabilities and a warehouse.

He explained that the project which was earlier estimated in the region of ₦73 billion is only about 45 percent completed.

According to him, the NCS is seeking Presidential approval to vary the cost to reflect current economic realities and ensure its completion within the tenure of the present administration.

“This was conceived to be in the region of N73 billion But of course, between inception and now, a number of things have happened. We are now in the process of seeking Mr. President’s understanding that we might need to vary what was originally approved. We are only 45% in the execution of the project that we have done here, and so we still have a fairly long way to go.

“It would be of our interest, it would give us delight if Mr. President would give us the enablement to finish this during his tenure, ” he said.

Adeniyi commended the partnership with the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for providing the over 50 hectares of land required to house the massive complex.

He also paid tribute to his predecessor, Col. Hameed Ali for ensuring the acquisition of the land and the initial takeoff of the project.

On Customs readiness for operations at the newly commissioned Gateway International airport. Adeniyi confirmed that the NCS is already fully operational at the new terminal.

“Our officers are already on the ground. They performed tallying duties when Mr. President witnessed the offloading of the first cargo today,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the facilities provided by the Ogun State government would meet all international standards for cargo and passenger processing, ensuring that Customs can effectively manage trade at the new  airport.