The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will host two conferences in Abuja this December to enhance border security, modernise customs operations, and promote trade integration across Africa.
NCS spokesman Abdullahi Maiwada announced this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, describing the conferences as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate legitimate trade.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Conference will be held from Dec. 7 to Dec. 8, followed by the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Conference from Dec. 9 to Dec. 11.
Maiwada stated that the CGC Conference, themed ‘Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities’, will review modernisation initiatives and prior commitments.
He added that the conference will examine the relationship between effective customs administration, national security, and trade facilitation.
“The CGC Conference will provide a platform to review the service’s modernisation efforts.
It will assess progress on previous commitments and reinforce the connection between effective customs administration, national security, and trade facilitation,” he said.
He noted that the event will bring together stakeholders and institutional partners to evaluate progress in implementing modernisation and trade facilitation reforms.
Participants will review commitments made in 2025, results achieved in 2026, and receive presentations on customs modernisation.
The program will also include the presentation of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates and discussions on evaluating the impact of reforms on trade and revenue.
Maiwada said the conference will address intelligence-led enforcement, emerging border threats, inter-agency collaboration, and officers’ roles in protecting communities and maintaining public trust.
He added that digital transformation and stakeholder partnerships will be central to discussions on improving customs operations and strengthening accountability.
The conference will also provide opportunities to assess reform outcomes, identify areas for improvement, and enhance cooperation among security and enforcement agencies.
Building on the CGC Conference, C-PACT will focus on coordinated border management and digital connectivity to improve trade across African countries.
Maiwada said the conference, themed ‘One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts’, will bring together stakeholders and agencies to advance trade cooperation across Africa.
He said discussions will address persistent obstacles to cross-border trade, such as fragmented procedures, duplicated controls, limited information exchange, and incompatible digital systems.
He added that insufficient coordination among border agencies will also be addressed as a challenge requiring practical solutions.
Maiwada said the conference will explore how One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), supported by interconnected customs platforms, coordinated risk management, and harmonised procedures, can reduce delays and lower trade costs.
He noted that secure information exchange will also help improve the predictability of goods movement along African trade corridors.
Maiwada said participants will examine the implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiatives, including the Integrated Transit System, Single Bond Guarantee Scheme, and Electronic Certificate of Origin system.
He said the discussions are expected to generate practical recommendations, identify priority technology and investment opportunities, and strengthen institutional partnerships.
The conference will also aim to develop an implementation-oriented roadmap for interconnected, digitally enabled border systems across Africa.
Maiwada said the Comptroller-General of Customs and his management remain committed to strengthening collaboration with national institutions, regional partners, and international stakeholders.
He said their objective is to secure borders, facilitate legitimate trade, and support Africa’s economic integration agenda.
“Through the CGC Conference and C-PACT 2026, the service seeks to reinforce accountability for ongoing reforms and advance practical solutions that connect border security with trade facilitation, technological innovation, and safer communities,” he said.
