The Nigeria Customs Service has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening legitimate trade with China while intensifying efforts to curb illicit economic activities through enhanced enforcement and bilateral cooperation.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Wednesday during a meeting with Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to China, Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Dambazau, at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the visit, Adeniyi described Dambazau as a familiar figure to the Service due to his distinguished military and leadership background, expressing confidence in his ability to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic and trade relations with China.
The Customs boss noted that China remains Nigeria’s largest trading partner, stressing that discussions centred on improving strategic trade relations and promoting legitimate business activities involving Chinese companies operating in Nigeria.
According to him, several Chinese firms have already been integrated into the Service’s Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, with compliant companies continuing to receive recognition for adhering to international trade standards and regulations.
Adeniyi further disclosed that the NCS maintains a Customs Mutual Administrative Agreement (CMAA) with the General Administration of Customs of China to strengthen customs cooperation and facilitate legitimate trade between both countries.
He emphasised that the Service cannot function in isolation, underscoring the need for collaboration with relevant government agencies to harmonise trade operations and improve facilitation processes.
The CGC also stressed the importance of aligning trade statistics released by Nigeria and China, noting that significant discrepancies in trade data should not exist between the two nations.
“Stronger engagement and continuous communication between the NCS and China will ensure more effective trade facilitation and mutual economic benefit,” Adeniyi stated.
On enforcement, he said Nigeria is determined to prevent its territory from being used as a transit route for illegal wildlife trafficking and called for improved intelligence sharing and cooperation between both countries.
He also advocated stronger collaboration in tackling illegal mining activities, saying enhanced border enforcement and data-driven operations are critical to combating economic crimes.
In his remarks, Dambazau expressed appreciation for the warm reception, describing the visit as his first official engagement at the Customs Headquarters.
He noted that closer collaboration with the NCS would support the success of his diplomatic assignment and help maximise the gains of Nigeria-China relations.
The ambassador-designate highlighted the strategic role of Customs in implementing zero-tariff trade arrangements for African countries and called for reduced cargo clearance time, stronger certification systems, and stricter regulation of imports from China.
He warned against the misuse of trade policies for unlawful activities, stressing that sustained cooperation between both countries would enhance smoother trade operations and deepen economic relations between Nigeria and China.
