The Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has reiterated the service commitment to grow the Nigerian economy through enhanced trade facilitation tools leveraging on platforms and policies like the African Continental Free Trade Area(AfCFTA) and the US government backed African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Speaking in Lagos at the Science of Trade Conference organised by Ascend Studios Foundation in partnership with the US Consulate and other groups, Adeniyi who was represented by Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, Customs Area Controller for Apapa Port, said the NCS is setting the process of perfecting trade procedures within the customs zone.
He said the service is collaborating with the Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD) of the European Union (EU) for efficient export monitoring and trade facilitation
He added that as part of the NCS outreach program, the service is also working with other agencies of the Nigerian government to maximize the opportunities in trade and reduce the incident of Nigerian goods being returned from countries of destination
For traders willing to participate in AGOA,the Customs chief said efforts were ongoing for the establishment of a one-stop-shop export seat for export documentation so that it will reduce the time taken for Nigerian exporters to get their goods out of the port.