The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has taken another significant step in enhancing its global partnerships through a strategic engagement with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), aimed at boosting customs knowledge exchange and institutional capacity building.
The high-level meeting, held in Beijing on July 25, 2025, brought together a 21-member Nigerian delegation led by Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Oluyomi Adebakin, who is also the Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada.
Discussions centered around bilateral cooperation on customs training, modernisation practices, and adoption of technology-driven solutions to strengthen trade facilitation and border management. Officials from GACC’s International Cooperation Division, the Training and Education Centre, and the Shanghai Customs College participated in the talks.
Chinese authorities showcased their advanced training methodologies, which include the use of virtual reality (VR), 5G technology, and blended e-learning platforms. In 2024 alone, the GACC conducted over 8,000 in-person training sessions and launched 360 online courses.
Nigeria’s active participation in China-led customs development programmes also came to the fore. Since 2023, more than 200 African customs officers including 89 from Nigeria have received training in critical areas such as anti-smuggling enforcement, trade facilitation, food safety, and digital port operations.
The Chinese officials applauded recent reforms within the Nigeria Customs Service and celebrated the election of Nigeria’s Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, as the Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Council, called it a major milestone in global customs diplomacy.
Both sides expressed commitment to further technical exchanges, joint research projects, and officer development schemes, especially in the context of regional port systems and cross-border intelligence.
The meeting, facilitated by the Platform Business Development Agency, aligns with broader efforts to promote institutional synergy, harmonize customs procedures, and enhance trade infrastructure across Africa. These objectives are seen as pivotal to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Nigeria Customs Service, under the leadership of CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, reaffirmed its dedication to global best practices in customs administration, human capital development, and seamless international collaboration.
