The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially appointed Comptroller Adebola Salawu as the new head of its Lagos Industrial Area Command, following the retirement of Comptroller Sarah Wadinda.
The appointment was announced via the Service’s verified X (formerly Twitter) handle @CustomsNG on Saturday and was later confirmed in a press release issued Monday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs Juliana Tomo.
A formal handover ceremony took place at the Command’s headquarters in Festac Town, Lagos, where officers and stakeholders gathered to honour Wadinda’s legacy and welcome the incoming comptroller.
Comptroller Wadinda exits the role after a notable career marked by leadership and community-focused initiatives. During her tenure, she spearheaded the Customs Cares project, through which Festac Senior Grammar School benefited from a water treatment plant, a fully-equipped e-library, a photocopier, and refurbished sanitation facilities.
“The success of this project was made possible through the collaboration and support of stakeholders,” Tomo noted in the statement.
In her farewell speech, Wadinda thanked Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for the opportunity to serve, and encouraged officers to extend their full support to her successor.
In his first address as Area Comptroller, Adebola Salawu paid tribute to his predecessor’s accomplishments and pledged to continue her efforts while introducing new reforms aimed at strengthening excise operations.
“I assure officers and stakeholders of my commitment to improving excise operations,” Salawu stated. He urged officers to embrace the newly launched Unified Customs Management System (B’Odogwu) and stressed the importance of continuous in-house training and stakeholder collaboration.
Salawu emphasized that these measures are critical to enhancing compliance, improving revenue collection, and supporting national economic growth.
What’s Next for the Lagos Industrial Area Command?
With Salawu at the helm, the Command is expected to focus on:
- Boosting excise revenue through automation
- Deepening partnerships with stakeholders and manufacturers
- Leveraging technology to streamline customs operations
Officers have been encouraged to adapt quickly to the digital transformation drive, with B’Odogwu now central to operations nationwide.
