The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has announced fresh measures to strengthen collaboration with the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) in a bid to ease trade, improve revenue generation and enhance border management.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, gave the assurance in Abuja while receiving the newly elected NACCIMA President, Mr Jani Ibrahim, and his team at the customs headquarters.
“When I assumed office, one of the first things I was deliberate about was the issue of collaboration. Revenue and security are important, but to succeed in both, we must also strengthen trade facilitation,” Mr Adeniyi said, noting that the service will establish dedicated desks for NACCIMA members to resolve issues relating to customs processes and procedures.
“Today, I am pleased to inform you that we are fully on course with this collaboration. In that spirit, we will dedicate special desks for your members to resolve issues regarding the implementation of our processes,” he added.
On his part, the new NACCIMA leader congratulated Mr Adeniyi on his election as the chairperson of the World Customs Organisation Council, describing it as “a well-deserved recognition of Nigeria’s growing leadership in customs administration.”
Mr Ibrahim further hailed President Bola Tinubu’s decision to extend Mr Adeniyi’s tenure as CGC, saying it was “a vote of confidence in his transformational reforms,” lauding ongoing customs reforms such as the Authorised Economic Operator programme, the deployment of indigenous digital platforms known as B’odogwu, Time-Release Studies, and improvements to the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report.
According to him, these innovations are already lowering cargo dwell time and reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks at the ports.
“The private sector, through NACCIMA and the organised private sector, is fully committed to supporting Customs in achieving its mandate,” Mr Ibrahim said, stressing the need for an institutional mechanism to deepen the partnership, proposing a joint committee between Customs and NACCIMA.
“We strongly advocate the establishment of a Joint Technical Facilitation Committee with representatives of both NACCIMA and Customs. This will provide a framework for regular consultation and measurable progress on all areas of collaboration,” Mr Ibrahim stated.
According to him, such cooperation would not only cut the cost of doing business in Nigeria but also strategically position the country under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).