The Nigeria Customs Service said it has further strengthened its international cooperation efforts through a high-level engagement with the General Administration of Customs of China.
This was announced in a statement on Sunday by the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Abdullahi Maiwada.
He explained that the meeting held over the weekend in Beijing brought together senior officers of the Service and top officials from the GACC to explore bilateral knowledge exchange and capacity development in customs administration.
“The engagement focused on deepening cooperation in customs training methodologies, modernisation models, and technology-driven solutions, especially as China plays a pivotal role in Nigeria’s international trade network,” Maiwada said.
Maiwada explained that the Platform Business Development Agency facilitated the meeting, and its founder coordinated the engagement as part of a broader agenda to drive customs sector reform, ease of doing business, and institutional capacity building.
He said that the meeting aligns with the broader objectives of promoting knowledge sharing, harmonising customs procedures, and building an integrated trade infrastructure for sustainable development as a cornerstone for the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The NCS spokesperson stated that the 21-member Nigerian delegation was led by an Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Oluyomi Adebakin, who is the Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada.
According to Maiwada, during the meeting, the Chinese Customs authorities shared a structured training system incorporating virtual reality, 5G-enabled systems, and blended e-learning approaches.
He stated that in 2024 alone, GACC conducted over 8,000 physical training sessions and developed 360 online courses.
Maiwada added that discussions also highlighted Nigeria’s active participation in China-led customs development initiatives, with over 200 African Customs Officers, “including 89 from Nigeria, having received training since 2023 across various areas such as trade facilitation, anti-smuggling enforcement, food safety supervision, and digital port operations.”
He stressed that the Chinese Customs officials acknowledged recent reforms within the NCS and commended the country’s growing leadership in international customs platforms.
“They appreciated the election of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, as Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation Council, describing it as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s customs diplomacy. Both parties expressed mutual interest in exploring technical exchange programmes, joint research initiatives, and officer exchange schemes focused on regional port systems and cross-border intelligence cooperation,” he said.
The NCS image maker reiterated that the bilateral dialogue also signalled new areas of collaboration, including Nigeria’s participation in upcoming customs modernisation courses and officer development training at the Shanghai Customs College.
“The Nigeria Customs Service, under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, remains fully committed to strengthening its human capital, advancing intergovernmental partnerships, and modernising customs operations by global standards,” he said.
