The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the United Kingdom’s His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have strengthened their strategic cooperation aimed at improving trade facilitation and advancing digital border management between both countries.
This development followed a high-level bilateral meeting held in London on March 18, 2026, under the Nigeria–United Kingdom Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP), on the sidelines of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom.
The meeting was led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and Ms Megan Shaw, Head of International Customs and Border Engagement at HMRC. Discussions focused on customs modernisation, improving transparency in bilateral trade data, and expanding operational collaboration to enhance efficiency and integrity in the Nigeria–UK trade corridor.
Adeniyi highlighted the importance of effective customs cooperation as a driver of economic growth and sustainable trade. He noted that Nigeria and the United Kingdom maintain a long-standing economic relationship spanning key sectors such as industrial goods, agriculture, energy, and consumer products. According to him, customs authorities play a vital role in ensuring that trade between both countries remains secure, transparent, and beneficial.
Both parties also identified discrepancies in bilateral trade data as a major concern requiring urgent attention. Available figures show that while Nigeria recorded about £504 million in UK-origin imports in 2024, the United Kingdom reported exports to Nigeria worth approximately £1.7 billion within the same period.
To address this gap, the two customs administrations agreed to explore the establishment of a structured pre-arrival data exchange system between their digital platforms. The initiative is expected to enhance risk management, improve data reconciliation, and strengthen compliance monitoring.
The engagement further provided an opportunity for both sides to showcase their respective modernisation programmes. HMRC highlighted its use of artificial intelligence-driven tools, digital verification systems, and real-time analytics in customs operations.
Key outcomes of the meeting include plans to develop a Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Framework, commence technical scoping for capacity building and knowledge exchange, and establish a joint technical engagement mechanism under the ETIP framework.
The NCS reiterated its commitment to strengthening international partnerships as part of its broader modernisation agenda. The Service expressed confidence that the collaboration would boost transparency, improve operational efficiency, and enhance Nigeria’s trade competitiveness in line with the Federal Government’s economic reform agenda.
