By Joy Onu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have renewed their partnership to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with plans to expand one-stop border posts, strengthen regional transit systems and improve customs cooperation to boost intra-African trade.
According to a statement signed by the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, the renewed commitment was reached during a meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, Dr George Elombi, at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
The discussions focused on reviewing the progress of existing collaboration and identifying new areas of cooperation aimed at promoting seamless cross-border trade, harmonising customs procedures and deepening regional economic integration.
Speaking during the meeting, Adeniyi said the collaboration was driven by a shared commitment to strengthening trade among African countries and unlocking the continent’s economic potential through practical cooperation.
According to him, the collaboration has already produced positive results in customs modernisation and trade facilitation, particularly through initiatives designed to improve the movement of goods across borders.
“We are building a partnership founded on a single conviction: that Africa’s best trading partners are within Africa itself, and our prosperity will be built on the trade we conduct within ourselves. From C-PACT to our ongoing work on trade facilitation, we are turning that conviction into practical cooperation,” the Customs boss said.
Adeniyi said that the partnership would support Afreximbank’s regional transit initiatives, accelerate the establishment of one-stop border posts along major trade corridors and promote the adoption of international best practices in customs administration.
He added that the Service was already benefiting from the Bank’s support for regional transit systems and expressed confidence that the collaboration would improve Africa’s competitiveness, reduce barriers to legitimate trade and create more opportunities for businesses across the continent.
Elombi commended the Nigeria Customs Service for taking a proactive role in advancing continental trade, describing the engagement as evidence of strong institutional commitment to Africa’s economic transformation.
“It is nice to see the CGC taking the initiative to drive this kind of engagement, which demonstrates a clear commitment to transforming trade across the continent. We have the resources, and you have the will. Together, we can make this partnership work for Africa,” he said.
The meeting also reviewed the outcome of the maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) conference held in Abuja in November 2025. The event brought together customs administrations, development partners and private sector stakeholders to harmonise customs procedures, strengthen institutional capacity and improve connectivity across Africa’s trading systems.
The renewed partnership is expected to further support the implementation of the AfCFTA by improving border efficiency, reducing trade bottlenecks and facilitating the freer movement of goods across Africa, in line with broader efforts to deepen regional economic integration.
