The Nigeria Customs Service and the newly inaugurated South-South Development Commission have committed to forging a strategic partnership aimed at boosting economic development and regional integration across the South-South zone.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi, gave this assurance on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the Commission’s Managing Director, Usoro Akpabio, to the Customs headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Describing the Commission as a potential catalyst for regional progress, Adeniyi reaffirmed the Service’s willingness to collaborate closely with the body in advancing trade facilitation, border management, and infrastructural development.
“This Commission offers a valuable platform for strategic cooperation, especially as we continue to implement key reforms introduced by the 2023 Customs Act,” he said, while congratulating Akpabio on her appointment. “We are ready to keep the dialogue open and inclusive, ensuring that all stakeholders are actively engaged in shaping our shared future.”
Adeniyi also called for the establishment of a joint working group to serve as a framework for sustained collaboration. He said such a team could help align Customs operations with the Commission’s regional objectives, particularly in the areas of seaports, free trade zones, and the oil and gas sector.
Highlighting the Customs Service’s recently launched Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the CGC noted its focus on community development projects in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. He said the CSR programme was part of a broader commitment to inclusive and sustainable growth, extending beyond Customs’ statutory duties.
In response, the Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission, Usoro Akpabio, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its ongoing reform and modernisation efforts, describing them as a model for other institutions.
She said the Commission — barely three weeks into its operations — was already laying the groundwork for wide-ranging programmes spanning the blue economy, agriculture, utilities, and human capital development.
“Given Customs’ extensive footprint in the South-South, especially in port operations and border activities, our collaboration will be central to the region’s economic blueprint,” she said.
She emphasised the need for a long-term alliance that would strengthen transparency and development well beyond current leadership tenures.
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