The German Agency for International Cooperation has reiterated its commitment to enhancing the energy transition in Nigeria, boosting seamless importation of clean energy components.
Speaking at a just-concluded stakeholders’ consultative forum in Lagos, the Country Director of GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dr Markus Wagner, represented by Duke Benjamin, underscored the vital role the Nigeria Customs Service plays in advancing Nigeria’s sustainable development goals and energy transition.
He stressed that through the implementation of the Advance Ruling Systems, the process of importing renewable energy equipment has become simplified, directly supporting Nigeria’s ambitious green energy transformation.
He said, “The strategic partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service and GIZ is significant in our shared journey toward sustainable development. Through the successful launch of the Advance Ruling Systems, we have substantially simplified customs processes for importing clean energy components, directly supporting Nigeria’s ambitious green energy transformation.
“With the valuable support of our commissioning parties, our collaboration has already delivered tangible results: shorter customs clearance times and reduced administrative burdens for clean energy importers. Today’s launch of the handbook on import and export procedures for renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies represents another pivotal step toward enhancing the ease of doing business across Nigerian borders.
“Our collaborative sensitisation programmes for importers and customs officers on renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies classification and valuation have significantly improved operational efficiency while ensuring regulatory compliance. Complementing these efforts, your digital reforms in documentation and processing have accelerated trade in sustainable energy products throughout Nigeria.”
The GIZ official maintained that beyond customs modernisation, GIZ’s technical assistance to the Nigerian government encompasses several critical areas, including robust capacity-building programmes, strengthening institutional frameworks and human resource capabilities across government ministries, and knowledge transfer initiatives to foster sustainable development across multiple sectors of the Nigerian economy.
In the energy sector specifically, he said GIZ has helped to boost technical expertise that has proven instrumental in developing renewable energy policies, supporting rural mini-grid establishment, and enhancing nationwide energy efficiency standards.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Power has commended the Nigeria Energy Support Programme implemented by GIZ as a booster to renewable energy trade facilitation and advancement in the country.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mahmud Mamman, represented by Ben Ayangegor, said the trade facilitation improvement would ensure Nigeria achieves its vision 30:30:30, an initiative aiming to achieve 30 gigawatts of electricity for the nation by the year 2030, with renewable energy contributing 30 per cent.
He said, “It is commendable that, with support from the Nigeria Energy Support Programme implemented by GIZ, the Nigeria Customs Service is advancing trade facilitation on renewable energy equipment as envisioned by the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy.
“The Federal Ministry of Power fully supports these initiatives, which align with the NREEEP and significantly contribute to achieving Nigeria’s energy security goals, its nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement, and its net-zero targets,” he said.
The PS charged the Finance Ministry to establish a task force that would expedite the importation and exportation process of renewable energy equipment.
The task force, which is to be headed by the Comptroller General of Customs, would “expedite the screening process for RE and EE components entering or leaving the country, streamline cumbersome customs procedures related to renewable energy imports, provide staff training on product quality and incentive application, and develop a specialised Harmonised System Code for renewable energy equipment.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, said the Customs was working closely with stakeholders to facilitate the importation of renewable energy technologies and enforcing fiscal measures that discouraged fossil fuel dependency.
Adeniyi, who was represented by the Deputy Customs Comptroller General, Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, explained that this move would enhance the achievement of net-zero emissions through cost reduction.
