Customs Unveils Education Complex at Kirikiri Prison, Launches Digital Platform to Fast-track Port Operations
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strengthened its reform-driven agenda with the commissioning of a modern education complex for inmates in Lagos and the launch of a digital One-Stop-Shop (OSS) platform to fast-track cargo clearance at the nation’s ports.
At the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, commissioned a newly constructed four-block classroom complex delivered under the Service’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.
The facility comprises four fully air-conditioned classrooms, a standard library, an ICT centre and a borehole, marking one of the most significant recent educational interventions within a custodial centre in Lagos.
Addressing dignitaries, security chiefs and other stakeholders at the event, Adeniyi described the project as a paradigm shift in the approach to correctional reform and national security.
“This project represents more than infrastructure. It represents belief — belief in second chances, belief in rehabilitation, and belief in the power of education to transform lives,” he said.
The Customs boss stressed that although the Service is constitutionally mandated to facilitate trade, generate revenue and secure Nigeria’s borders, it also has a broader responsibility to strengthen institutions that reform and reintegrate individuals into society.
“True security goes beyond enforcement. It requires investment in people. It demands that we strengthen institutions that reform, rebuild and reintegrate individuals into society,” he added.
According to him, education remains one of the most effective correctional tools, noting that inmates equipped with knowledge and skills are less likely to reoffend and more likely to contribute meaningfully upon release.
In his remarks, the Controller of Corrections, Lagos State Command, Daramola George, described the intervention as historic and transformative, emphasising that structured education is central to rehabilitation and reintegration. He commended the NCS for what he termed visionary and compassionate leadership.
George also acknowledged the role of Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Joy Edeldouk, noting that the project was initiated during her tenure as Customs Area Controller of Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command.
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In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Chapter, Ahmed Bello praised the project as a lasting legacy that would positively impact lives beyond the custodial facility.
Meanwhile, in a parallel reform effort aimed at boosting trade efficiency, the NCS launched a new digital One-Stop-Shop platform in Lagos designed to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and reduce cargo clearance time to 48 hours.
Speaking at the launch on February 13, 2026, Adeniyi described the platform as a major structural reform to modernise border operations and strengthen Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.
He explained that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s broader business reforms under President Bola Tinubu and global standards under the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, which estimates that efficient border reforms can cut trade costs in developing economies by more than 14 per cent.
The Comptroller-General further disclosed that the Service is advancing toward a fully paperless customs environment, with the first phase of digital clearance and documentation processes scheduled for rollout by the end of the second quarter of 2026.
“This platform is a deliberate shift from fragmented interventions to coordinated governance, from discretion to data, and from isolated actions to collective responsibility,” Adeniyi stated. “Through this reform, we continue to build systems that support lawful trade, protect national interests and serve the economy with professionalism and integrity.”
Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, explained that the OSS platform consolidates all risk interventions into a single electronic interface, streamlining multiple checks under one digital umbrella.
A technical presentation by the Service’s Trade Facilitation Unit outlined plans to reduce cargo clearance time from an average of 21 days to about 48 hours, alongside implementation strategies and anticipated challenges.
Stakeholders at the engagement expressed strong support for the initiative, noting that the digital platform would enhance transparency, facilitate legitimate trade and improve overall port efficiency.
The twin initiatives underscore the Nigeria Customs Service’s expanding reform footprint — balancing institutional support for correctional rehabilitation with ambitious trade modernisation aimed at driving economic growth and national development.
By PRNigeria
