CUSTOMS BOSS ADVOCATES PPP TO MODERNIZE TRADE OPERATIONS
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BY OWOLABI OLUWADARA
The Nigeria Customs Service has committed to enhancing its collaboration with the private sector to advance trade facilitation and border management throughout the nation.
As noted by the media, in a video released by the Nigeria Customs Service on Wednesday, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, provided this assurance during a courtesy visit from the new leadership of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, which occurred on Thursday, August 21, 2025, in Abuja.
Adeniyi, who concurrently serves as the newly elected chairperson of the World Customs Organisation Council, stated that cooperation with key stakeholders in the private sector is crucial for modernising customs operations and ensuring alignment with international standards.
“This is what the WCO advocates. The World Customs Organisation emphasizes that to operate a contemporary customs entity, one of the fundamental pillars the 21st-century building block is establishing a robust partnership with the private sector.
“Regard them as collaborators, empathize with their challenges, and be intentional in ensuring that your operations and activities support their enterprises and enable them to fulfill their obligations. It pertains to our functions within the trade facilitation ecosystem,” he articulated.
He underscored that improved collaboration would aid in streamlining operations within Nigeria’s trade facilitation ecosystem while fostering economic growth and adherence to global best practices.
In his comments, NACCIMA President Jani Ibrahim congratulated Adeniyi on his recent election as WCO Council Chair, characterizing it as a testament to Nigeria’s ascending stature in global trade governance.
“We are fully aware of your innovative and transformative initiatives within the Nigeria Customs Service, which have redefined trade facilitation and border security. Notably, the launch of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme has significantly accelerated legitimate trade,” Ibrahim remarked.
He assured the Comptroller-General of NACCIMA’s ongoing collaboration with the NCS to maintain the positive reforms.
Ibrahim also called for the prompt establishment of a Joint Technical Facilitation Committee as an institutional mechanism to implement agreed outcomes and enhance synergy between the government and the organized private sector.
The NACCIMA president additionally praised current reforms, including the Bodogu digital trade platform and Nigeria’s strategic positioning under the African Continental Free Trade Area, which, he indicated, could unlock new possibilities for local industries and cross-border trade.
The visit, conducted at the NCS headquarters, coincides with the service’s intensified modernisation efforts aimed at balancing security requirements with seamless trade processes while reinforcing Nigeria’s role in regional and global trade networks.
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