The air in Accra buzzed with renewed optimism on November 3, 2025, as Nigeria’s Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, led a high-level delegation to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. The mission was clear — to reinforce Customs’ commitment to a united, data-driven, and integrated African trade system.
The meeting, held at the AfCFTA Headquarters in Ghana’s capital, brought together senior officials from both institutions to discuss strategic collaboration aimed at improving trade facilitation, addressing long-standing data challenges, and strengthening inter-agency coordination across the continent.
CGC Adeniyi, known for his forward-looking leadership, reaffirmed that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) remains steadfast in its support for AfCFTA’s vision of a seamless African market. “We are determined to play a central role in advancing Africa’s trade integration,” he declared, emphasizing that Customs must be seen not only as regulators but as active facilitators of development.
He commended the AfCFTA Secretariat for its consistent effort in rallying stakeholders — from development partners to economic operators — toward realizing Africa’s vast trade potential. According to him, the partnership with AfCFTA has laid the groundwork for the forthcoming Customs–Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Conference, scheduled to take place in Abuja from November 17 to 19, 2025.
“The AfCFTA Secretariat has been instrumental in mobilising African Customs and economic operators. Through our engagements, we now have a clear direction for the Abuja meeting,” Adeniyi said, describing the collaboration as “a model of institutional synergy in the service of Africa’s economic future.”
The Customs boss underscored that one of the most pressing issues facing intra-African trade is the deficiency in reliable data — a gap he believes Customs administrations are uniquely positioned to close. “We must take the front role in addressing deficiencies in our trade data. This is a responsibility I have accepted to lead, working with my colleagues across Africa,” he stated firmly.
He further noted that the AfCFTA Secretariat’s effort to convene heads of Customs administrations under a single framework represents a transformative step for the continent’s economic coordination. However, Adeniyi stressed the need for sustainability and policy coherence. “The existing structure that unites all Customs heads must be reinforced. Once institutionalised, the Customs Pact will serve as a permanent framework for collaboration,” he said.
The Comptroller-General also highlighted the barriers still impeding Africa’s trade progress — poor data integration, policy fragmentation, and weak inter-agency cooperation. Tackling these, he said, would be essential to unlocking the continent’s full trade potential and ensuring that African goods move across borders more efficiently.
In his vision, the upcoming C-PACT Conference will go beyond dialogue. It will serve as a platform to institutionalise solutions that make Customs the cornerstone of Africa’s trade renaissance. “The conference will set a new benchmark for data-driven Customs administration and policy harmonisation,” he affirmed.
Responding to Adeniyi’s remarks, the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, welcomed the Nigerian delegation warmly and praised the Nigeria Customs Service for its exemplary leadership in driving continental cooperation. Mene described the Service as “a model institution in Africa’s trade integration journey.”
He acknowledged the structural challenges still hindering trade growth across the continent — from high logistics costs to limited coordination among national agencies. Yet, he maintained that the AfCFTA Secretariat was already engaging the right actors, including the private sector and Customs administrations, to overcome these obstacles through practical reforms.
Mene expressed confidence that the Abuja C-PACT Conference would not only advance discussions but also produce actionable frameworks to address systemic barriers. “We are looking forward to building on the foundation being laid in Abuja,” he said, adding that the Secretariat is considering making the C-PACT an annual platform for Customs cooperation.
The AfCFTA Chief further revealed that discussions are underway on creating a Single Bond Guarantee Scheme to improve cross-border transit, alongside strengthening the implementation of e-certificates of origin to promote transparency. These initiatives, he said, align with the Secretariat’s Memorandum of Understanding with the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
Reaffirming his confidence in the Nigeria Customs Service’s leadership, Mene underscored that Customs remain the heart of AfCFTA’s implementation process. He called for their deeper involvement in building data systems, developing Authorised Economic Operator frameworks, and refining trade statistics management.
As both leaders shook hands to conclude the meeting, the message was unmistakable: a more connected Africa begins with coordinated Customs. With the upcoming Abuja C-PACT Conference on the horizon, Africa’s journey toward seamless intra-continental trade appears to be gaining the momentum it has long awaited.
