The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, hosted the 4th World Customs Organization (WCO) Donors’ Conference for the West and Central Africa (WCA) Region, reaffirmed its commitment to driving regional customs reform and trade facilitation.
The high-profile conference, held at the Muhammadu Buhari Conference Hall in Abuja, marked the first post-pandemic edition of the WCO-WCA donor engagement and attracted customs leaders, donor agencies, diplomatic representatives, and industry stakeholders dedicated to modernising customs systems and promoting regional economic integration.
Declaring the conference open, the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Olawale Edun, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its recent achievements.
“I am proud to commend the Nigeria Customs Service for its remarkable performance—achieving a 90 per cent increase in revenue collection and surpassing its target by 20 per cent. These achievements, driven by modernised processes and WCO-supported initiatives, illustrate how strategic investments and technology can revolutionise trade and strengthen regional integration,” the Minister stated.
In his address, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, highlighted the persistent technical and operational challenges confronting customs administrations in the WCA region, including limited digital infrastructure and poor interconnectivity.
“Our region faces significant hurdles, from the rapid evolution of e-commerce to the complexities of technical procedures. However, Nigeria has made innovative strides with initiatives such as the deployment of the indigenously developed B’Odogwu platform, the installation of advanced scanners, and the comprehensive training of over 5,000 officers,” CGC Adeniyi said.
He further presented five strategic initiatives for which the NCS is seeking donor support. These include the integration of artificial intelligence in anti-smuggling operations, the development of a Regional Single Window system, and the expansion of digital infrastructure to foster inter-agency collaboration and enhance trade transparency.
The event featured a distinguished lineup of participants, including Mr. Ebenezer Tafili, representing the Secretary General of the WCO; Mr. Amadou Konaté, Vice-Chair of WCO-WCA and Director-General of Mali Customs; Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency; and several heads of customs administrations, donor agency representatives, and executives from the Nigeria-owned Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) Limited.
The conference is expected to serve as a catalyst for deeper donor partnerships and practical policy implementations aimed at boosting customs efficiency across the West and Central Africa region.
