Customs, Afreximbank deepen partnership to boost intra-African trade
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trade facilitation and accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through enhanced customs cooperation and regional integration initiatives.
The renewed commitment was made during a working visit by Afreximbank President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. George Elombi, to the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
The meeting provided an opportunity for both institutions to review progress on their existing partnership and explore new areas of collaboration aimed at promoting seamless cross-border trade and improving regional economic integration.
Speaking during the meeting, the Comptroller-General of Customs described the relationship between the two organisations as one anchored on a shared vision of unlocking Africa’s economic potential through increased trade among African countries.
According to Adeniyi, the partnership has continued to deliver tangible results in customs modernisation and trade facilitation, particularly through initiatives focused on harmonising customs procedures and improving the movement of goods across the continent.
“We are building 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.
The Customs boss disclosed that the collaboration would support Afreximbank’s regional transit initiatives, accelerate the establishment of one-stop border posts along strategic trade corridors, and encourage the adoption of global best practices to strengthen customs administration.
In his remarks, Afreximbank President, Dr. George Elombi, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its proactive leadership in advancing trade reforms across the continent.
