By Omolade Abdulkareem
Harboursandport.com: Lagos- October 17, 2024: The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi held a meeting with Wamkele Mene, the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA in a bid to opening up opportunities to tackle challenges and enhancing trade facilitation.
The meeting took place during the Biashara Afrika 2024 forum, which was held in Kigali, Rwanda, from October 9 to 11.
This forum gathered important stakeholders to explore methods for boosting intra-African trade and promoting greater economic integration.
According to a statement from the Service, the meeting offered a valuable chance to refine strategies for improving trade facilitation under the AfCFTA agreement.
CGC Adeniyi commended the secretary general for his steadfast support and dedication to promoting the objectives of AfCFTA, even in light of the resource limitations encountered by the secretariat. He also recognized the backing from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government and the legislative body through the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
He added that, "The Act has been instrumental in providing the necessary legal framework for implementing initiatives that align with the government's vision of making Nigeria the most efficient trading nation on the continent, fostering SME growth, and boosting exports to strengthen intra-African trade."
The discussions focused on resolving current challenges and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, which play a vital role in maximising the benefits of the agreement and advancing intra-African trade.
Special attention was given to the role of Customs in these initiatives, with a promise to share the discussions at the Heads of Customs Administrations Platform in Africa. This aims to help address trade barriers in light of the AfCFTA secretariat's commitment to create a plan for advancing the free trade area based on the meeting's results.
The Secretary General of AfCFTA praised the NCS at the conference for its innovative initiatives, such as conducting time release studies and taking part in the pilot phase of the Authorised Economic Operator, AEO, program.
He pointed out that these initiatives have positioned the NCS as a benchmark for customs administrations across Africa.
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