The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Wednesday, hosted the 4th World Customs Organization (WCO) Donors’ Conference for the West and Central Africa (WCA) Region as part of efforts to promote economic integration in the zone.
NCS reaffirmed its position as a regional leader in trade reforms at the opening of the event held at the Muhammadu Buhari Conference Hall in Abuja.
It was the first WCO-WCA donors’ conference since the COVID-19 pandemic as the event witnessed the presence of relevant stakeholders committed to modernising Customs operations and boosting regional economic integration.
Mr. Olawale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, who declared the conference open lauded the NCS for its outstanding performance.
“I am proud to commend the Nigeria Customs Service for its remarkable performance—achieving a 90 per cent increase in revenue collection and surpassing its target by 20 per cent. These achievements, driven by modernised processes and WCO-supported initiatives, illustrate how strategic investments and technology can revolutionise trade and strengthen regional integration,” Mr. Edun stated.
In his remarks, the Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi stressed the persistent technical and operational challenges confronting Customs’ administrations in the region.
Comptroller Adeniyi pointed out limited digital infrastructure and poor interconnectivity among key issues hindering trade facilitation.
“Our region faces significant hurdles, from the rapid evolution of e-commerce to the complexities of technical procedures. However, Nigeria has made innovative strides with initiatives such as deploying the indigenously developed B’Odogwu platform, installing advanced scanners, and the comprehensive training of over 5,000 officers,” he said.
The Comptroller also highlighted strategic initiatives requiring donor support, including adopting artificial intelligence for anti-smuggling operations, developing a Regional Single Window system, and expanding digital infrastructure to enhance inter-agency collaboration and trade transparency.
Dignitaries present at the conference include Mr Ebenezer Tafili, representing the Secretary General of the WCO; Mr Amadou Konaté, Vice-Chair of WCO-WCA and Director-General of Mali Customs; Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency.
Others are Heads of Customs, donor agencies, Nigeria owned Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) Limited, diplomatic representatives, and industry stakeholders.
This looks really serious. Thank you for as always a fantastic job with the article, which beats many paid one. Improve Search Engine Rankings and Heartland Newspaper Today
fpugbi