The newly appointed Customs Area Controller of the Tincan Island Port Command, Comptroller Joseph Anani, has begun his tenure with a series of strategic engagements, operational inspections, and courtesy visits aimed at strengthening trade facilitation, improving operational efficiency, and deepening collaboration with stakeholders and sister security agencies.
As part of his familiarisation tour, Comptroller Anani inspected Customs formations and terminals within the Command to assess operational facilities, evaluate officers’ working conditions, and gain first-hand knowledge of activities across the port.
The exercise was designed to identify areas requiring improvement and ensure officers are well-positioned to effectively discharge the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The new Controller also held his maiden engagement with key freight forwarding associations, including the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), APFLON, and other industry stakeholders.
During the meeting, Anani stressed the importance of compliance with Customs procedures and the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, describing professionalism and partnership as essential to achieving seamless trade operations.
“We are setting a new tone anchored on compliance, collaboration, and service excellence. Every stakeholder has a role to play in making Tincan Island Port a model of trade facilitation and operational efficiency,” he said.
He also hosted terminal operators, shipping companies, importers, exporters, and captains of industry at a roundtable discussion, where he reiterated his commitment to maintaining an open-door policy and creating a business-friendly environment that supports legitimate trade and economic growth.
The Controller urged terminal operators to improve infrastructure within their facilities and expand operational spaces to attract more vessel traffic and enhance the competitiveness of the port.
In furtherance of inter-agency collaboration, Anani paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Police, Port Authority Police (Western Command), CP Toyin Agbaminoja. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation on port security, intelligence sharing, and the protection of lives and property within the port environment.
Similarly, the Customs Area Controller visited the Commander of Narcotics of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Commander Solomon Omotosho, where both agencies agreed to sustain intelligence-driven operations and coordinated enforcement efforts to combat drug trafficking and other transnational crimes through the nation’s seaports.
Anani expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the Tincan Island Port Command, pledging to consolidate on existing achievements while advancing the core mandates of the Nigeria Customs Service.
He noted that the Command would continue to align with the Comptroller-General’s policy thrust of Consolidation, Collaboration and Innovation to strengthen trade facilitation, revenue generation, stakeholder engagement, and national security.
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