Trade value between Nigeria and Malaysia has surged to N1.82tn in the last five years, The PUNCH reports.
The National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, a Deputy Controller of Customs, announced this in a statement on Thursday.
Maiwada explained that Nigeria’s imports from Malaysia increased from N159.9bn in 2020 to N716.0bn in 2024, “with cumulative trade value reaching approximately N1.82tn over a five-year period.”
According to him, drawing from the commitment to strengthen international customs cooperation and enhance trade facilitation, the NCS has advanced its strategic engagement with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department.
He added that the engagement followed an official visit by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, to the RMCD Headquarters on the sidelines of his participation at DSA Malaysia 2026, adding that the engagement comes against the backdrop of expanding bilateral trade.
Maiwada highlighted that Adeniyi was received by the Director-General of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Dato’ Haji Amran bin Haji Ahmad.
He pointed out that both leaders held high-level discussions focused on institutional collaboration, customs modernisation, and coordinated border management frameworks to strengthen efficiency and regulatory integrity.
He mentioned that both administrations acknowledged the absence of a formal legal framework guiding bilateral customs cooperation despite longstanding trade relations.
To address this gap, Maiwada stressed that the two countries agreed to initiate processes toward establishing a Mutual Recognition Agreement under the framework of the World Customs Organisation, to be pursued through appropriate diplomatic channels.
“This initiative is expected to provide a structured basis for cooperation, enhance mutual trust, and support reciprocal trade facilitation measures,” Maiwada stressed.
Speaking during the meeting, Adeniyi emphasised that the scale and trajectory of Nigeria–Malaysia trade relations necessitate a more structured and formalised customs-to-customs partnership.
He noted that Malaysia remains a significant trading partner to Nigeria, with key imports including crude palm oil, refined palm olein, jet fuel, food preparations, machinery, and other industrial inputs.
Adeniyi further underscored the critical role of customs administrations in facilitating legitimate trade while safeguarding national economic and security interests.
He also highlighted the NCS’s Authorised Economic Operator programme and other trade facilitation frameworks designed to ensure predictable clearance processes, reduce transaction costs, and strengthen compliance.
Both sides emphasised the importance of deeper collaboration in intelligence sharing, enforcement coordination, and technology-driven border management, particularly in addressing illicit trade and transnational trafficking.
To this end, the NCS reiterates its commitment to strengthening bilateral and multilateral partnerships as part of its broader modernisation agenda.
The service affirms that outcomes from this engagement will enhance operational capacity, improve trade facilitation, and reinforce border security while supporting Nigeria’s economic growth objectives.
As part of ongoing efforts to deepen institutional collaboration, the Comptroller-General also used the opportunity to visit the Nigerian Diplomatic Mission and Defence Office in Malaysia, commending their roles in advancing Nigeria’s interests and supporting nationals abroad.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for the Royal Malaysian Customs Department to present its evolving border management architecture, including the establishment of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency as an integrated frontline border control body.
