ADENIYI LEADS CUSTOMS MODERNISATION DRIVE WITH DECEMBER CGC CONFERENCE, C-PACT SUMMIT
ADENIYI LEADS CUSTOMS MODERNISATION DRIVE WITH DECEMBER CGC CONFERENCE, C-PACT SUMMIT
By Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
The Nigeria Customs Service is set to host two major international conferences in Abuja this December as part of renewed efforts to strengthen border security, facilitate legitimate trade and deepen African economic integration.
The conferences, the Comptroller-General of Customs Conference scheduled for December 7 to 8, 2026 and the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade, C-PACT 2026 Conference slated for December 9 to 11, 2026, will bring together government officials, Customs leadership, trade stakeholders and institutional partners from across the continent.
According to a statement issued by the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, the CGC’s Conference with the theme “Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities” will provide a platform to review the Service’s modernisation efforts, assess progress against previous commitments and reinforce the relationship between effective Customs administration, national security and trade facilitation.
The conference will examine the Service’s progress in implementing modernisation and trade facilitation reforms under sub-themes that focus on enabling African trade through digital Customs, trusted corridors and seamless payments as well as securing borders and safer communities through intelligence, partnership and trust at the frontline. The programme will also feature presentations on Customs modernisation, presentation of Authorised Economic Operator certificates and discussions on measuring the impact of reforms on trade and revenue generation.
Maiwada disclosed that a major component of the conference will be the examination of how digital transformation and stakeholder partnerships are improving Customs operations. He said stakeholders including AEO beneficiaries, the National Single Window Secretariat, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, excise sector representatives and other relevant institutions will have the opportunity to assess reform outcomes and identify areas for further improvement. He added that the second day will focus on coordinated responses to converging border threats and will bring together relevant security and enforcement institutions including the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
Building on the national conference, C-PACT 2026 with the theme “One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts” will extend discussions to the continental level. The conference will provide a platform for Customs administrations, policymakers, the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, Regional Economic Communities, border management agencies, development partners, technology providers and private sector stakeholders to advance cooperation in African trade.
The statement noted that the conference will address persistent challenges affecting cross-border trade including fragmented procedures, duplicated controls, limited information exchange, incompatible digital systems and insufficient coordination among border agencies. It will explore how One-Stop Border Posts supported by interconnected Customs platforms, coordinated risk management, harmonised procedures and secure information exchange can reduce delays, lower trade costs and improve the predictability of goods movement across African trade corridors.
The C-PACT programme will feature high-level policy dialogue, strategic discussions among Customs administrations, technical sessions on connected borders, presentations of operational experiences from existing and emerging One-Stop Border Posts, technology demonstrations and discussions on public-private partnerships for financing and delivering modern border infrastructure. It will also focus on implementing relevant AfCFTA initiatives including the Integrated Transit System, the Single Bond Guarantee Scheme and the Electronic Certificate of Origin system.
The conference is expected to generate practical recommendations, identify priority technology and investment opportunities, strengthen institutional partnerships and develop an implementation-oriented roadmap to advance interconnected and digitally enabled border systems across the continent.
The Nigeria Customs Service under the leadership of the Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, reiterated its commitment to strengthening collaboration with national institutions, regional partners and international stakeholders to secure borders, facilitate legitimate trade and support Africa’s economic integration agenda.
