Harboursandport.com: Apapa, Lagos – October 2, 2025: Stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime and trade sectors have called for sweeping reforms to maximize the country’s new leadership role as Chair of the World Customs Organization, WCO Council.
The call came during a one-day seminar organized by the League of Maritime Editors at Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos, with the theme “Nigeria’s Chairmanship of WCO Council: The Impact on Nation’s Economy.”
The event brought together top officials from the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, alongside industry leaders and policy experts.
Retired Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Charles Edike, chaired the seminar, while the lead paper was delivered by Francis Anieze-Chukwu on behalf of Eugene Nweke of SEREC.
Other presentations came from Pius Akutah, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, and NIMASA Director-General, Dayo Mobereola.
Participants emphasized that Nigeria’s chairmanship of the WCO Council places the country at the center of global Customs governance. They noted that Nigeria must lead by example in port efficiency, cargo documentation, and trade facilitation.
The stressed the following: that the B’Odogwu platform still faces operational challenges requiring urgent attention; that Customs reforms such as Time Release Studies, Data Analytics, and the Authorized Economic Operator, AEO scheme are commendable and should be expanded; that Customs processes should be integrated into educational curricula to build future capacity and that Nigeria’s leadership at the WCO is critical to accelerating AfCFTA implementation and harmonizing Customs procedures across Africa.
The seminar produced a robust set of recommendations, including: the need t strengthening inter-agency data sharing among Customs, NPA, and Shippers’ Council; consolidating Customs reforms to harness AfCFTA opportunities; enhancing transparency and predictability in maritime trade and improving the operability of the B’Odogwu platform and expanding digital Customs capabilities.
Other recommendations were; advocation for Nigeria’s interests in trade harmonization and regional integration; promoting the CGC’s reform agenda across Africa, including rapid scanner deployment and AEO recognition; upgrading port access roads to facilitate cargo movement and trade efficiency and establishing a data-driven monitoring framework and enforcing maritime labor standards.
Stakeholders concluded that Nigeria’s leadership at the WCO presents a rare opportunity to shape global Customs policy and elevate the country’s trade profile.
They urged the Nigeria Customs Service to match international leadership with domestic reforms, ensuring that Nigeria becomes a model for Customs excellence and economic governance across Africa.
No comments:
Post a Comment