By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has further strengthened its international cooperation efforts through a high-level engagement with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).
The meeting, held in Beijing on July 25, 2025, 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 21-member Nigerian delegation was led by Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Oluyomi Adebakin, Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada. Discussions were held with officials from the GACC International Cooperation Division, the Training and Education Centre, and representatives of the Shanghai Customs College. 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.
During the meeting, the Chinese Customs authorities shared their structured training system incorporating virtual reality (VR), 5G-enabled systems, and blended e-learning approaches. In 2024 alone, GACC conducted over 8,000 physical training sessions and developed 360 online courses.
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.
The Chinese Customs officials acknowledged recent reforms within the Nigeria Customs Service and commended the country’s growing leadership in international customs platforms.
They appreciated the election of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, as Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) 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.
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 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.
This 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 (AfCFTA).
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 in accordance with global standards.
