By Onu Okorie
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has unveiled plans to accelerate the development of one-stop border posts along key trade corridors as part of efforts to boost intra-African trade and strengthen regional economic integration through its partnership with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
The commitment was reaffirmed during a working visit by Afreximbank President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, George Elombi, to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
The meeting reviewed the progress of collaboration between both institutions and identified new areas of cooperation aimed at strengthening trade facilitation, enhancing customs cooperation and accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Speaking during the meeting, Adeniyi said the partnership was founded on the belief that Africa’s economic prosperity would be driven by stronger trade among African countries.
“We are building a partnership founded on a single conviction: that Africa’s best trading partners are within Africa itself, and our prosperity will be built on the trade we conduct within ourselves. From C-PACT to our ongoing work on trade facilitation, we are turning that conviction into practical cooperation,” he said.
The Customs boss disclosed that the collaboration would support Afreximbank’s regional transit initiatives, accelerate the establishment of one-stop border posts along strategic trade corridors and encourage the adoption of global best practices in customs administration.
According to him, the Service is already recording positive results from the bank’s support for regional transit systems and expressed confidence that the partnership would further improve Africa’s competitiveness while expanding opportunities for legitimate cross-border trade.
Elombi commended the NCS leadership for its proactive role in promoting trade across the continent, describing the Service’s approach as evidence of a strong institutional commitment to transforming African commerce.
“It is nice to see the CGC taking the initiative to drive this kind of engagement, which demonstrates a clear commitment to transforming trade across the continent. We have the resources, and you have the will. Together, we can make this partnership work for Africa,” he said.
The meeting also reviewed the successful collaboration between both institutions on the maiden edition of the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade C-PACT, held in Abuja in November 2025, which brought together customs administrations, development partners and private sector stakeholders to harmonise customs procedures, strengthen institutional capacity and improve connectivity across Africa’s trading systems.