President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to inaugurate the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Conference today in Abuja, marking a significant moment in continental efforts to deepen trade integration and strengthen cooperation among African Customs administrations.
The opening ceremony of the conference will take place at the State House Banquet Hall, after which sessions will continue at the Transcorp Hilton until 19 November.
This year’s theme, “Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges”, reflects a renewed commitment to dismantling long-standing obstacles to intra-African commerce and advancing the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Addressing journalists ahead of the event, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, described the summit as an unprecedented gathering that will, for the first time on this scale, bring together Customs leaders, policymakers and private-sector stakeholders from across the continent.
He said over 30 Customs authorities have registered, 22 of them represented by their Directors-General, signalling strong continental buy-in for enhanced policy alignment and operational cooperation.
Adeniyi also announced that Nigeria will host the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation, Ian Sanders, marking the first visit of a WCO chief to the country since its independence.
He characterised this as a milestone that underscores Nigeria’s rising prominence in global trade facilitation and its determination to shape the evolving architecture of African economic diplomacy.
The Customs chief further pointed to a notable surge in Nigeria’s export performance, with volumes increasing by more than 30 per cent in the past two years.
He stressed that the current priority is to channel a greater proportion of these exports towards African markets, in line with regional industrialisation goals and the drive to strengthen value chains within the continent.
Adeniyi commended the Federal Government and a coalition of key institutions — including the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, AFREXIMBANK, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and port authorities — for aligning behind what he called a historic opportunity for Nigeria.
With this unified support, he said, the country is positioned not only to reinforce its leadership within Africa but also to help shape the future of a more integrated, efficient and collaborative continental trade system.