Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement AfCFTA got a boost recently as the Nigeria Customs Service NCS discussed with AfCFTA the removal of existing bottlenecks, and encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) towards taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the agreement.

Not only was Particular emphasis placed on the role of Customs in these efforts, but so crucial and strategic was the initiative of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, that AfCFTA Secretary, Wamkele Mene described the Nigeria Customs gesture as a benchmark for Customs administrations across Africa.

The high-level meeting between the AfCFTA Scribe, Wamkele Mene and the CGC, Adewale Adeniyi which was held, on the margins of the Biashara Afrika 2024 forum, hosted in Kigali, Rwanda, from 9th to 11th October 2024, consequently provided a unique opportunity to refine strategies, aimed at improving trade facilitation under the AfCFTA agreement. 

“These initiatives have positioned the NCS as a benchmark for Customs administrations across Africa,” Wamkele Mene remarked, noting the critical roles of the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in boosting intra-African trade. 

This Biashara Afrika 2024 was significant as it provided an engagement forum which brought together, key stakeholders to discuss ways to enhance intra-African trade and foster deeper economic integration. During the meeting, the AfCFTA Secretary-General also praised the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its progressive initiatives, especially the pilot phase of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme, the implementation of Advanced Rulings, and the conduct of Time Release studies. 

In his remark, the Comptroller-General Adeniyi commended the Secretary-General for his unwavering commitment to advancing the AfCFTA’s goals, despite the resource constraints faced by the Secretariat. 

He also acknowledged the critical support provided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and the legislative arm through the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.