By George Ozalla
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, on Wednesday hosted ambassadors, high commissioners, heads of diplomatic missions and senior government officials in Abuja as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) sought to deepen cooperation on trade facilitation, border management and international customs administration.
The diplomatic cocktail reception, held at the rooftop of the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, drew members of the diplomatic corps, heads of security agencies, members of the Customs Management team and senior officials from various government institutions.
Among those in attendance were the Chief of the Air Staff, the Inspector-General of Police and other top government functionaries who joined diplomats and Customs officials for the engagement.
Welcoming guests, Adeniyi expressed appreciation to Nigeria’s international partners for their continued support and cooperation with the country.
“We recognize and appreciate your contributions to strengthening diplomatic and trade relations. The Service remains committed to providing the support and services required for diplomatic missions to operate effectively in Nigeria,” he said.
The CGC stated that the NCS has continued to expand its international engagements through structured partnerships with more than 20 customs administrations across different parts of the world.
According to him, the partnerships are built around knowledge exchange, capacity development and operational cooperation designed to improve trade facilitation and strengthen border management systems.
Adeniyi further stated that cooperation among customs administrations, diplomatic missions and security agencies has become increasingly important as countries contend with evolving trade patterns, cross-border crimes and emerging compliance requirements.
He stressed that closer collaboration would assist efforts to secure borders, improve revenue collection and support economic activities that depend on efficient movement of legitimate goods across national frontiers.
The Customs boss added that modern customs administration no longer operates in isolation, noting that developments in one jurisdiction often have implications for trade and border operations elsewhere.
He maintained that regular engagement, mutual trust and information sharing among international partners remain necessary in addressing challenges associated with global trade, security and regulatory compliance.
Adeniyi also described the reception as an opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and open new channels of cooperation between Nigeria and its international partners.
The event featured interactions between diplomats, Customs officers and senior government officials, with participants exchanging views on areas of mutual interest and opportunities for greater collaboration.
The reception concluded with networking sessions involving diplomats, security chiefs, senior government officials and members of the Customs Management team, bringing to a close an evening of discussions centred on trade facilitation, border management and international customs cooperation.
