The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Coordination Committee organized a one-day workshop on October 17, 2024, at the Bolton White Hotel in Abuja, with the goal of improving trade facilitation throughout the African continent.

Important NCS officials, such as Area Controllers and AfCFTA Coordination Office representatives, gathered at the event to talk about ways to enhance trade throughout Africa.

The AfCFTA Committee’s National Coordinator, Segun Awolowo, emphasized in his opening remarks the enormous potential of the AfCFTA to change the economic landscape of Africa. He emphasized the agreement’s contribution to the removal of tariffs on the majority of goods and services, the removal of labor and capital barriers, and the improvement of the investment climate throughout the continent.

“Today’s workshop aims to emphasize the critical role that our trade exit points play, the essential role that our port Area Controllers play, and the significance of Customs command posts within the framework of the AfCFTA,” stated Awolowo.

“These components are essential to making sure that the smooth trade facilitation that the AfCFTA envisions becomes a reality for businesses in Nigeria and throughout Africa.”

At the event, Caroline Niagwan, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of the NCS Tariff & Trade Department, represented Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi. She reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to fully supporting the implementation of AfCFTA through measures that streamline trade procedures and foster regional integration.

“It is incumbent upon us to guarantee the deployment of effective measures that streamline the implementation of the AfCFTA,” stated Niagwan. “To enable the seamless movement of goods and services across African borders, this includes the digitization and harmonization of Customs procedures.”

Niagwan emphasised once more how the NCS must modernise its operations by utilising digital tools that enhance overall performance and streamline trade procedures. “We need to adopt technological innovations that help us fulfill our mandate effectively if we are to meet the goals of the AfCFTA,” she continued.

The workshop also covered the important prospects that the AfCFTA offers to SMEs, or small and medium-sized businesses. Through the opening of new markets and the removal of trade restrictions, the agreement is anticipated to put African SMEs in a more competitive position on the international scene.

The cooperation between the NCS and the AfCFTA Coordination Committee is thought to be crucial in making sure that integrated trade benefits the continent to the fullest extent possible, ultimately promoting sustainable economic growth throughout Africa.

Nigeria is continuously working to match its trade policies with the larger goal of promoting economic integration and development throughout Africa, and the workshop is another step in that direction.