Strategic Management of Public Sector Reforms in the Nigeria Customs Service: Lessons for Revenue Optimisation

This study examines the strategic management of public sector reform initiatives within the Nigeria Customs Service and draws lessons for revenue optimisation at Nigeria's ports and border posts. The Nigeria Customs Service has undergone significant reform efforts in recent years, including the deployment of electronic cargo tracking, risk management systems, and the Customs Modernisation Programme, yet smuggling, under-valuation, and revenue leakages persist. Drawing on strategic public management theory and recent customs reform literature from 2019 to 2024, the study adopts a professional practitioner research design. Data are collected from 180 Customs officers at varying managerial levels, trade facilitation stakeholders, and importers through structured questionnaires and management interviews at four major entry points. Descriptive statistics and strategic management framework analysis are applied. The study expects to find that reform outcomes are constrained by resistance to change within the organisation, inadequate ICT infrastructure, weak inter-agency data sharing, and discretionary human interventions that undermine automated systems. It also evaluates the impact of reform initiatives on clearance time, revenue yield, and trade compliance rates. Findings will provide practical strategic recommendations for Customs management on change management, digital process automation, and performance measurement frameworks. Keywords: customs reform, revenue optimisation, public sector management, trade facilitation, strategic management