By Joy Onu
Nigeria and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have signed a new customs cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening trade facilitation, improving border security, and enhancing efforts to combat transnational organised crime.
According to a press statement issued on Thursday by Abdullahi Maiwada, Deputy Comptroller of Customs and National Public Relations Officer, the Joint Declaration was signed in Brussels on June 24 by Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi and Director-General of Netherlands Customs Nanette Van Schelven.
The agreement is expected to strengthen collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Netherlands Customs Administration in areas including customs modernisation, intelligence sharing, compliance management, enforcement cooperation, and capacity building.
According to the statement, the partnership builds on a series of high-level engagements between both customs authorities, including a working visit by the Nigeria Customs Service to the Netherlands in October 2025 and a reciprocal visit by a Dutch customs delegation to Nigeria in March 2026.
During those engagements, both sides explored opportunities for cooperation in risk management, cargo clearance systems, trade facilitation, border control, supply chain security, capacity development, and the fight against illicit trade.
The two administrations also recognised Nigeria’s strategic position as one of West Africa’s leading economies and an important trading partner of the Netherlands. They noted that stronger customs cooperation and institutional capacity-building remain critical to facilitating legitimate trade while addressing illegal cross-border activities.
The declaration further highlighted concerns over the trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, counterfeit goods, wildlife products, and weapons, stressing the need for coordinated international action to tackle such threats.
Speakin
g at the signing ceremony, Adeniyi said the partnership demonstrates the value of international cooperation in addressing emerging trade and border management challenges.
He said the agreement would strengthen intelligence sharing, enhance capacity building, improve enforcement effectiveness, and support collective efforts to secure international supply chains while facilitating legitimate trade.
Adeniyi described the declaration as “a significant milestone in the Service’s international cooperation agenda and a reflection of the strong relationship established between the two Customs administrations over the past years.”
On her part, Van Schelven said both customs administrations face similar challenges in an increasingly interconnected global trading environment.
She noted that closer collaboration would promote mutual learning, strengthen operational capabilities, and improve efforts to tackle transnational organised crime while supporting efficient and transparent trade processes.
Under the agreement, both parties committed to expanding cooperation through training, exchange of expertise, knowledge sharing, and the development of structured cooperation frameworks.
The declaration also provides a foundation for a joint work plan and future cooperation mechanisms aimed at improving border efficiency, promoting fair trade practices, strengthening supply chain security, and addressing challenges associated with both legal and illegal cross-border movement of goods.
