By Peace Udugba -The daily torch media
In a bid to enhance international customs collaboration and streamline trade processes, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reinforced its strategic partnership with the United Kingdom’s His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The move follows a high-level bilateral meeting held in London on 18 March 2026, coinciding with the State Visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to the United Kingdom, under the Nigeria–United Kingdom Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP).
The discussions were led by Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and Ms. Megan Shaw, Head of International Customs and Border Engagement at HMRC. Both sides focused on customs modernisation, improving transparency in bilateral trade data, and expanding operational cooperation to strengthen efficiency and integrity along the Nigeria–United Kingdom trade corridor.
Comptroller-General Adeniyi emphasized the pivotal role of effective customs cooperation as a driver of economic growth and sustainable trade. Highlighting the long-standing trade relations between Nigeria and the UK, he noted that active exchanges span key sectors including industrial goods, agriculture, energy, and consumer products. “Customs administrations are frontline institutions ensuring that trade flows are secure, transparent, and mutually beneficial,” he stated.
During the engagement, both administrations identified gaps in bilateral trade data as a structural challenge requiring coordinated resolution. Statistics show that while Nigeria recorded imports of UK-origin goods valued at approximately £504 million in 2024, the UK reported exports to Nigeria worth about £1.7 billion during the same period. To address this discrepancy, both parties agreed to explore a structured pre-arrival data exchange framework between their digital customs platforms, aimed at enhancing risk management, data reconciliation, and compliance monitoring.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to showcase each country’s customs modernisation initiatives, including the UK’s use of AI-driven trade tools, digital verification systems, and real-time analytics. Outcomes of the engagement include the development of a Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Framework, technical scoping for capacity-building and knowledge exchange, and the establishment of a joint technical engagement mechanism under the ETIP framework.
The NCS reaffirmed its commitment to deepening international partnerships as part of its broader modernisation agenda to promote transparency, efficiency, and competitiveness in Nigeria’s trading environment. The Service assured stakeholders that insights from this collaboration will strengthen operational capacity, enhance trade facilitation, and support Nigeria’s economic reform objectives under the Renewed Hope programme.
