President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned the newly built Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Corporate Headquarters in Abuja yesterday.
This commissioning comes after the President inaugurated the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals, established by the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, on Monday.
The new smart Corporate Headquarters cost the NCS N19.6 billion, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed at a news conference in Abuja on Monday.
Adeniyi, Chairman, Organising Committee for Commissioning of the edifice, said the building had a 12-floor tower with five floors on both wings of the tower and “bridges” linking the two wings.
The chairman said construction of the building commenced in 2007 following the need to build a befitting edifice for the service, the News Agency of Nigeria said in a report. He further said that the need for more space in view of the capacity of the service also informed the construction of the building,
Adeniyi said the building, having undergone redesigning and remodelling, was set for commissioning, adding that the building would be serviced with modern and up-to-date mechanical and electrical services installations.
The Deputy Comptroller-General further said the Service was proud to state that “such an architectural masterpiece is cost efficient”.
On the challenges encountered during the construction of the building, Adeniyi said there were challenges ranging from variations and adjustments in the model of the building.
The Corporate Headquarters building, referred to as “Customs House”, is located in Maitama, one of the high-brow areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The project was conceived in 2002 to provide a comfortable and conducive working environment for staff and authorised visitors to the building.
