Stakeholders have lauded the Nigeria Customs Service over several initiatives introduced by the service to boost trade.

The stakeholders spoke on Monday in Ikeja, during the 2025 NCS Trade Facilitation Stakeholders Consultative Forum, which also marked the first anniversary of the Advanced Ruling Programme introduced by the service.

The event was themed ‘Trade facilitation measures for renewable energy and energy efficiency technology’.

Some of the initiatives introduced by the service include B’Odogwu, a Unified Customs Management System, the Advance Ruling System, the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, the Time Release Study, among others.

One of the stakeholders, Olatomiwa Olafaremi, said that the various trade facilitation tools introduced by the service, especially the Advanced Ruling Programme, have been beneficial.

“There have been issues here and there with the terminal which we expected for a new system. But overall, we have had tremendous support. The entire process has been seamless,” he said.

Earlier, the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi noted there has been trade facilitation in recent times.

Facilitation has become integral to the operations of customs administrations globally.

Represented at the event by the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Tariff & Trade, Caroline Niagwan, Adeniyi added that the move aligns with the service’s core mandate of implementing international trade laws.

“These include the WTO Agreement on the Implementation of Article VII of GATT 1994 (Customs Valuation Agreement), the WCO Harmonised System Convention of 1988 and its Annexes, and the WTO Agreement on Rules of Origin,” he said.

According to him, the implementation of these agreements by the NCS stems from “our role of collecting duties on internationally traded goods, which is essential for national economic development.”

Adeniyi emphasised that determining customs duties through tariff classification, valuation, and origin assessment is a technically complex process.

The CGC highlighted that these complexities can result in disputes, delays, and additional costs.

He mentioned that challenges such as commercial fraud, revenue leakage, and the enforcement of policy measures to protect domestic industries, the environment, and public safety further complicate customs procedures.

“These issues often place a disproportionate burden on compliant traders, who suffer delays alongside non-compliant ones due to the high levels of scrutiny necessary to uphold statutory obligations,” he stated.

The NCS boss pointed out that with the increasing volume of global trade, expanding global value chains, and the rise of e-commerce and Just-In-Time services, it has become imperative for customs administrations to adopt mechanisms that support the seamless flow of legitimate trade.

“Such mechanisms are essential not only for sustaining international commerce but also for empowering small and medium-sized enterprises to benefit from cross-border trade,” he said.

He maintained that in the context of customs operations, trade facilitation refers to systems and procedures that streamline the import, export, and transit of goods.

“This includes simplifying customs valuation, tariff classification, and origin determination, as well as facilitating declaration submission, payment, review, intervention, and release processes. For traders, trade facilitation ensures uniform standards, predictability, and transparency critical for efficient and timely clearance,” he explained.

The CGC stressed that in alignment with this year’s theme, the NCS proudly supports the WCO Green Customs Initiative, “which aims to facilitate the trade of environmentally sustainable goods.”

He said that the Green Customs Initiative responds to the growing number of legally binding Multilateral Environmental Agreements and recognises the critical role customs play in enforcing them.

Earlier, the Zonal Coordinator, Zone A of the service, Mr Charles Orbih, an Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, stated that the forum embodies the country’s generous policy of trust in collaboration, consolidation, and innovation.

“Through consolidation, we are strengthening the foundation of the Advanced Routing Programme, building on the progress made, and addressing the challenges encountered. The essence of this event reflects collaboration as we bring together various stakeholders to share perspectives and forge solutions collectively,” Orbih said.