The Nigeria Customs Service has renewed its cooperation with the African Export-Import Bank as both institutions seek to strengthen trade facilitation, improve customs cooperation and accelerate implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a working visit by Afreximbank President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr George Elombi, to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the Service Headquarters in Abuja.
Targeting Africa’s Single Market
The engagement comes as African governments continue to focus on AfCFTA, which is expected to create a market of more than 1.4 billion people with a combined Gross Domestic Product estimated at more than $3.4tn.
Discussions between the two institutions centered on expanding trade facilitation initiatives, harmonizing customs procedures, strengthening regional transit systems and developing mechanisms to make cross-border trade easier and more efficient.
Partnership Built Around Intra-African Trade
Adeniyi described the partnership as one rooted in a shared belief that Africa’s growth will depend on stronger trade among African countries.
“We are building a partnership between the two sides, a partnership founded on a single conviction: that Africa’s best trading partners are within Africa itself, and our prosperity will be built on the trade we conduct within ourselves. From C-PACT to our ongoing work on trade facilitation, we are turning that conviction into practical cooperation,” he said.
He also said the partnership would support Afreximbank’s regional transit initiatives, accelerate the development of one-stop border posts along key trade corridors and promote the adoption of global best practices to strengthen customs administration.
Border Posts and Transit Systems
The Service stated that it was already recording positive outcomes from the Bank’s support for regional transit systems, with the collaboration expected to further boost Africa’s competitiveness and expand opportunities for legitimate trade.
Adeniyi said the objective was to reduce delays, lower the cost of trade and make the movement of legitimate goods easier. He added that when traders spend less time at borders and face fewer administrative bottlenecks, businesses become more competitive and economies become more productive.
Afreximbank Signals Support
Afreximbank’s Elombi commended the Customs Service for taking a proactive role in regional integration and said its approach demonstrated institutional commitment to transforming trade across the continent.
“It is nice to see the Comptroller-General of Customs taking the initiative to drive this kind of engagement, which demonstrates a clear commitment to transforming trade across the continent. We have the resources, and you have the will. Together, we can make this partnership work for Africa,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Bank’s readiness to expand support for initiatives that facilitate trade and strengthen AfCFTA implementation.
Building on C-PACT
The meeting also reviewed collaboration on the maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT), held in Abuja in November 2025. The initiative brought together customs administrations, development partners and private sector stakeholders to harmonies customs procedures, strengthen institutional capacity and improve connectivity across Africa’s trading systems.
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