ACG Umoh advocates adaptive leadership as NIIA,NIPSS conclude ELR 2025 in lagos

By Hussaina Yakubu

December 11, 2025

The Zonal Coordinator Zone B of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), ACG Nsikan Umoh, has called for stronger inter agency collaboration and adaptive leadership to tackle Nigeria’s complex national and security challenges.

ACG Umoh made the remarks at the end of the 2025 Executive Leadership Retreat (ELR 2025), held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4 at the Radisson Blu, Ikeja, Lagos.

The high level retreat, jointly organized by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), convened senior officials from security agencies, ministries, academia, the private sector and development organizations.

ACG Umoh said the programme equipped participants with renewed clarity of purpose and tools for innovation, discipline and evidence-based decision-making. She commended the Comptroller General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for supporting their participation and for championing transformative leadership across the Service.

The retreat featured presentations by eminent speakers including former Minister of Foreign Affairs Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi; former Immigration Comptroller-General Mohammed Babandede. Others were NIPSS DG Prof. Ayo Omotayo; political economist Prof. Anthony Kila; strategy consultant Leke Alder; international security expert Kayode Bolaji; Chartered Insurance Institute President Funmi Babington Ashaye; and Africa Leadership Forum Executive Director Dr. Ayodele Aderinwale.

Participants examined Nigeria’s governance reforms, complex security environment, economic competitiveness, and the role of national identity and federalism in strengthening unity.

Dr. Aderinwale stressed the importance of aligning Nigeria’s foreign policy and trade negotiation capacity with national development goals, while security experts underscored the shift from traditional threats to cybercrime, extremism, organized crime and humanitarian crises.

Discussions on national identity highlighted unresolved historical tensions and the need for a structured Civil War record to counter misinformation and promote inclusive narratives.

The retreat recommended the creation of a continuous networking platform for participants, organizational benchmarking for improved efficiency, particularly within the NCS promotion of merit and professionalism, and cascading leadership lessons to junior officers.(NAN)