By Khalid Idris Doya
A prominent supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and advocate of the Renewed Hope Agenda, Khamis Musa Darazo, has called on the President to consider extending the tenure of the current management team of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in order to sustain ongoing reforms and protect the nation’s growing revenue base.
Speaking with journalists in Bauchi on Tuesday, Darazo expressed concern over the planned retirement of virtually all members of the current Customs management team by the end of the year, warning that such a development could create a leadership vacuum capable of disrupting policy implementation and weakening institutional performance.
He described the impending simultaneous exit of the service’s top leadership as a significant institutional challenge requiring urgent presidential attention.
According to him, the departure of the current management team could adversely affect policy continuity, institutional memory, operational efficiency, and the implementation of strategic reforms that have strengthened Customs operations and boosted revenue generation under the Tinubu administration.
Darazo noted that officers next in line for succession are predominantly deputy comptrollers who may require additional time, mentorship, and exposure to fully assume the responsibilities associated with top management positions within the Service.
“The Nigeria Customs Service occupies a strategic position in Nigeria’s economic architecture. At a time when President Tinubu is pursuing far-reaching economic reforms and strengthening non-oil revenue generation, preserving experienced leadership within the Service is essential to sustaining the gains already achieved,” he said.
He further cautioned that a leadership vacuum resulting from the retirement of the current management team could pave the way for external appointments into positions traditionally occupied by career Customs officers.
While acknowledging that such appointments may be legally permissible, Darazo argued that they could undermine the professionalism, institutional culture, and established career progression system within the Service.
According to him, career Customs officers possess the operational expertise, institutional knowledge, and field experience necessary for the effective administration of the Service and the attainment of government revenue targets.
He also warned that bypassing experienced officers within the system could negatively affect staff morale and weaken confidence in the Service’s promotion and succession framework.
Darazo therefore appealed to President Tinubu to approve a strategic extension of service for members of the current management team as a transitional measure aimed at ensuring continuity, stability, and an orderly succession process within the Nigeria Customs Service.
He maintained that such a move would help preserve institutional memory, sustain ongoing reforms, strengthen operational effectiveness, and provide adequate mentorship opportunities for the next generation of Customs officers.
“The proposal is not intended to obstruct the career advancement of younger officers but to facilitate a structured transition that guarantees stability and protects one of Nigeria’s most critical revenue-generating institutions,” he added.
Darazo expressed confidence that President Tinubu’s commitment to institutional strengthening, good governance, and sustainable reforms would guide any decision taken in the best interest of the Nigeria Customs Service and the broader objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
