The Comptroller‑General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has been conferred with a Fellowship Award by the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), in recognition of his professional achievements and contributions to national development. The conferment took place on Wednesday, 15 April 2026, during a special convocation ceremony held at the institute in Lagos.
Accepting the award, Adeniyi described it as both personally significant and institutionally symbolic, linking it to values he imbibed at NIJ. “This institution planted in me a set of values that I did not fully understand at the time, but have lived by ever since: professionalism as a standard, not a performance; discipline as a habit, not an event; and continuous self‑development as a personal obligation, not to an employer, not to a rank, but to oneself,” he said.
He added that the honour reflects positively on the Nigeria Customs Service, noting that “while we render service to our country, some people somewhere are watching and our day of rewards can actually come like this.”
As part of his commitment to the institute, the CGC announced plans to support the establishment of a modern multimedia and resource centre to improve practical training for NIJ students. He disclosed that a two‑storey building would be constructed following a needs assessment, housing a radio station, editing suites, production studios, and interactive spaces that integrate audio, video, animation, text, and image‑based media.
Chairman of the NIJ Governing Council, Olusegun Osoba, described the event as historic, revealing that the Fellowship was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and that Adewale Adeniyi is the first alumnus of the institute to receive the honour. He said the Fellowship is reserved for individuals with outstanding achievements in their fields and called the CGC “a shining example” of an ex‑student who has excelled in his chosen profession.
Provost Gbenga Adefaye commended Adeniyi for embodying the institute’s core values, discipline, ethical responsibility, and intellectual rigour, and noted that his career demonstrates how these values can translate into impactful leadership beyond the journalism space.