The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) have pledged to strengthen their partnership to advance trade facilitation, improve revenue generation, and enhance border management.
The renewed commitment was made during a courtesy visit by NACCIMA’s newly elected National President, Jani Ibrahim, to the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, at the Service’s headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Welcoming the NACCIMA delegation, Adeniyi emphasised the Customs Service’s dedication to meaningful collaboration with the private sector, describing it as key to achieving a balanced approach to national security and economic development.
“From the onset of my administration, collaboration has been a top priority,” Adeniyi said. “Revenue generation and national security remain vital, but effective trade facilitation is the bridge that supports both. We are on course, and to further this, we will establish dedicated desks to assist NACCIMA members in resolving issues around our processes.”
In a show of support, Jani Ibrahim lauded Adeniyi’s recent election as Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Council, calling it a “well-earned recognition of Nigeria’s growing influence in global customs administration.”
He also praised President Bola Tinubu for extending Adeniyi’s tenure, saying it reflected confidence in the CGC’s reform-driven leadership.
Highlighting several recent initiatives of the NCS, including the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, Time-Release Studies, enhancements to the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), and the deployment of indigenous digital platforms such as B’odogwu, Ibrahim said these reforms were already easing trade barriers and reducing cargo dwell times at Nigerian ports.
“These innovations are making a measurable difference,” he said. “As representatives of the organised private sector, NACCIMA is fully committed to working hand in hand with Customs to further improve efficiency.”
To institutionalise the partnership, Ibrahim proposed the formation of a Joint Technical Facilitation Committee, comprising members from both NACCIMA and the NCS, aimed at enabling regular consultation and tracking progress across key areas of collaboration.
He concluded that stronger cooperation between Customs and the business community would lower the cost of doing business and better position Nigeria within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.