The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has called for the adoption of a Nigeria First approach as a strategic tool for enhancing cross-border trade and national security.
He made this call on Saturday, May 10, 2025, while delivering the keynote lecture at the annual conference of the Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates’ Association (UNIFEMGA) in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Speaking on the theme “Cross-Border Trade and Security Implications on the Nigerian Economy: Taking Advantage of Global Trade Dynamics”, CGC Adeniyi stressed the urgent need to align trade facilitation with security imperatives to ensure sustainable economic growth.
“Nigeria’s economic prosperity hinges delicately on our ability to strike an optimal balance between security imperatives and trade facilitation,” he stated.
He revealed that Nigeria’s total trade value rose to ₦196.94 trillion in 2024 a 179.3% increase from the previous year despite mounting security threats at various border regions. In the same period, the Service generated ₦6.1 trillion in revenue, exceeding its target by 20.2%.
Adeniyi dissected region-specific security issues: insurgency in the Northeast disrupting trade routes; banditry and cattle rustling affecting mining and livestock in the Northwest; secessionist activities impacting manufacturing in the Southeast; and smuggling of petroleum products, arms, and prohibited goods in the Southwest. He disclosed that contraband valued at ₦35.29 billion was intercepted in 2024, with an additional ₦7.7 billion seized in the first quarter of 2025.
“These regional security challenges present Nigeria with a choice: remain trapped in a cycle of reactive responses or transform our hard-earned expertise into strategic advantage within the AfCFTA framework,” he said.
Highlighting the Nigeria First initiative, the CGC noted that all operational vehicles procured by the NCS in 2024 were sourced from local auto plants, a deliberate policy to support domestic industries and conserve foreign exchange.
He unveiled a three-tier roadmap to optimise and secure Nigeria’s border trade. Immediate plans include modernising key border posts such as Seme-Krake, Jibia-Maradi, and Mfum-Ekok. Medium-term strategies involve developing secure trade corridors with surveillance and rapid-response systems, while the long-term goal is to establish Special Economic Zones around border communities.
On global trade dynamics, Adeniyi cited the recent 14% reciprocal tariff imposed by the U.S. on Nigerian non-oil exports as a call for urgent market diversification. He encouraged businesses to tap into the $3.4 trillion African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and adopt innovations like the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which enables trade in local currencies.
“Through systematic application of these principles, Nigeria can establish itself as the secure gateway to West African markets, leveraging security investments to strengthen our economic position in regional and global trade,” he concluded.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke; the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; and the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire.
