Harboursandport.com: Lagos - June 26,2025: At the opening of the 145th/146th Sessions of the Customs Co-operation Council held at the World Customs Organisation, WCO Headquarters in Brussels on June 26, 2025, the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS received glowing commendation from the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Delivering her keynote address, Okonjo-Iweala celebrated the leadership of Nigeria’s Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, lauding the agency’s continued strides in modernising Customs operations and streamlining trade procedures to meet global benchmarks.
She highlighted the Service’s significant achievements, particularly in adopting new technologies, tightening border controls, and reinforcing compliance mechanisms. “Under CGC Adeniyi’s leadership, Nigeria has become a continental trailblazer in Customs modernisation,” she stated.
“Such initiatives are vital to enhancing international trade and spurring economic growth.”
Okonjo-Iweala also touched on critical customs challenges—including rules of origin and valuation—stressing their centrality to effective trade facilitation.
In a sideline exchange with the WTO Chief, CGC Adeniyi expressed gratitude for the recognition, describing it as a powerful endorsement of the NCS’s reform agenda.
“We deeply appreciate Okonjo-Iweala’s encouraging words,” he said.
“They reaffirm our commitment to innovation, automation, and transparency. Our mission aligns closely with international best practices, and we remain determined to strengthen legitimate trade across Africa, especially within the framework of AfCFTA.”
Adeniyi further noted the importance of growing cooperation between the WTO and WCO, especially following the Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier in January 2025. That partnership, he said, is instrumental in promoting global collaboration on Customs valuation, rules of origin, and broader trade facilitation.
The NCS also applauded WCO Secretary-General Ian Saunders for his role in deepening ties between the two global institutions, asserting that Nigeria stands ready to implement reforms that will make its trade environment more transparent, secure, and globally competitive.
According to the Service, enhanced WTO–WCO collaboration offers tangible benefits for developing nations, empowering them with tools and strategic guidance to upgrade Customs processes and thrive in today’s interconnected economy.
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