By Vera Osokpo
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has praised British American Tobacco for its strong regulatory compliance, contribution to government revenue and support for Nigeria’s economic development.
Adeniyi made the commendation on Monday, 14 September 2026, during a visit to BAT’s manufacturing facility in Ibadan, Oyo State. He described the factory as an example of the type of investment required to diversify Nigeria’s economy and reduce dependence on oil.
“As a customs officer, I cannot but notice the high level of commitment to compliance,” Adeniyi said. He described BAT’s operations as an investment that Nigeria had benefited from and expressed the hope that more companies would make similar contributions to the country.
The Customs comptroller-general noted that BAT supports public revenue through several channels. These include customs duties paid on imported materials and excise duties imposed on goods manufactured within Nigeria.
He also highlighted the company’s contribution to employment, local agriculture and economic activity in the communities where it operates.
Adeniyi said the visit was consistent with the Federal Government’s efforts to build a non-oil and export-oriented economy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He added that the Nigeria Customs Service had been repositioned to support that objective.
According to him, the service had established a dedicated export command in Lagos to oversee export-related activities. Several export-processing terminals in and around the city have also been linked to the command to make the processing of exports more efficient.
The Customs chief urged other investors to adopt BAT’s approach to compliance, integrity and community engagement.
He described the Ibadan facility as one of the largest of its kind in Africa and encouraged investors to learn from its operational standards.
Adeniyi said companies operating in Nigeria should comply with applicable laws, maintain integrity in their business dealings and contribute positively to the communities in which they operate.
He said such cooperation would produce a “win-win situation” by attracting more investment, increasing government revenue, creating jobs and strengthening the wider economy.
During the visit, Adeniyi took part in a tree-planting exercise linked to BAT’s environmental sustainability programme. He also toured the manufacturing facility to observe its operations.