The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in combating illicit trade, promoting seamless trade facilitation, and advancing regional economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Adeniyi made this known during a high-level visit to the Commissioner-General of the GRA Customs Division, Brigadier General Glover Annan, at the Authority’s headquarters in Accra.
During the meeting, both agencies underscored the importance of intelligence sharing, harmonised border procedures, and joint enforcement operations as essential measures to curb transnational crimes and enhance legitimate trade between the two West African nations.
Welcoming the Nigerian delegation, Brig.-Gen. Annan expressed Ghana’s readiness to deepen operational ties with the NCS.
“Our nations are united not just by history and culture but also by a shared vision to strengthen customs operations. The Nigeria Customs Service has continued to inspire our reforms and innovation in Ghana, and we see great opportunities in renewing our collaboration,” he said.
He also commended the NCS for championing the Customs-Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) initiative, developed with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and supported by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
Annan noted that the upcoming C-PACT Conference, scheduled for November 17–19, 2025, in Abuja, would provide a continental platform for Customs administrations to explore new frameworks for transparency, lawful trade, and sustainable economic growth.
In his response, CGC Adeniyi highlighted the need to close operational gaps exploited by criminal networks facilitating smuggling and illicit trade across African borders.
“We must bridge the gaps between our administrations because these are the same weaknesses that transnational criminals exploit. The more we work together, exchanging intelligence and building capacity, the stronger we will be against these syndicates,” Adeniyi stated.
He recalled that Nigeria and Ghana had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Customs cooperation in 2001 and suggested a review to reflect current realities and new opportunities under AfCFTA.
“It would be my wish that we take a second look at that agreement and breathe new life into it. We can identify new areas of collaboration that align with today’s challenges and the future we envision for African trade,” he added.
Adeniyi explained that his visit also aimed to seek GRA’s support for the upcoming C-PACT Conference and to explore joint strategies to enhance intra-African trade and economic prosperity.
“Our mission is to strengthen the role of Customs as a major promoter of AfCFTA. We want to increase the volume of trade within Africa and ensure that trade becomes a true driver of growth and prosperity for our people,” he said.
The engagement between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Ghana Customs Division is expected to pave the way for a renewed bilateral framework focused on intelligence-led enforcement, coordinated border management, and trade modernisation across the sub-region.
