The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is set to push for a new era of interconnected African borders and seamless trade as it convenes two major conferences in Abuja this December, with digital integration and coordinated border management at the heart of its agenda.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Conference, scheduled for 7–8 December, will be followed by the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) 2026 Conference from 9–11 December, bringing together national security institutions, Customs administrations, policymakers and private-sector stakeholders to tackle the barriers undermining cross-border trade.
While the first conference will assess Nigeria’s Customs reforms and the link between border security and safer communities, C-PACT 2026 will shift the focus to Africa’s wider trade ambitions, particularly the challenge of fragmented border procedures, incompatible digital systems and duplicated controls that increase costs and delay the movement of goods.
Under the theme “One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts”, C-PACT will explore how neighbouring countries can coordinate inspections, share intelligence and connect digital platforms to make border crossings faster and more predictable.
The discussions will also examine the implementation of key African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiatives, including the Integrated Transit System, Single Bond Guarantee Scheme and Electronic Certificate of Origin system.
The CGC Conference, themed “Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities”, will review progress on commitments made in 2025 and reforms undertaken in 2026.
Discussions will cover digital Customs operations, trusted trade corridors, seamless payments, intelligence-led enforcement and collaboration among security agencies.
The programme will also feature the presentation of Authorised Economic Operator certificates and an assessment of how modernisation is affecting trade and revenue.
Beyond policy discussions, C-PACT 2026 is expected to produce practical recommendations, identify technology and investment priorities, and develop an implementation roadmap for digitally connected borders across Africa.
