By | Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will host two major conferences in Abuja in December 2026 to strengthen border security, modernise Customs operations and accelerate trade integration across Africa.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Conference is scheduled for December 7–8, while the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) 2026 Conference will hold from December 9–11.
According to a statement issued on Sunday, October 25, 2026, by the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, the conferences reflect the Service’s commitment to securing Nigeria’s borders, facilitating legitimate trade and promoting regional economic integration.
The CGC Conference, themed “Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities,” will review the Service’s modernisation initiatives, assess progress against previous commitments and examine the relationship between effective Customs administration, national security and trade facilitation.
The C-PACT 2026 Conference, with the theme “One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts,” will extend discussions to the continental level, focusing on coordinated border management, digital connectivity and more efficient cross-border trade.
The national conference is expected to bring together government officials, Customs leadership, trade stakeholders and institutional partners to assess reforms and identify practical measures for improving operations.
Its discussions will focus on two major sub-themes: “Enabling African Trade: Digital Customs, Trusted Corridors and Seamless Payments” and “Secure Borders, Safer Communities: Intelligence, Partnership and Trust at the Frontline.”
Participants will review commitments made in 2025 and achievements recorded in 2026, alongside presentations on Customs modernisation, the presentation of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates and discussions on measuring the impact of reforms on trade and revenue generation.
The conference will also examine intelligence-led enforcement, emerging border threats, inter-agency cooperation and the professional responsibilities of Customs officers in protecting communities and maintaining public trust.
A major component of the programme will be an assessment of how digital transformation and stakeholder partnerships are improving Customs operations.
Stakeholders expected to participate include AEO beneficiaries, the yyNational Single Window Secretariat, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), representatives of the excise sector and other relevant institutions.
The second day will focus on coordinated responses to interconnected border threats, bringing together security and enforcement agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the NCS, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
The discussions are expected to strengthen collaboration among agencies responsible for tackling smuggling, illicit financial flows, drug trafficking and other cross-border threats.
Building on the national conference, C-PACT 2026 will provide a continental platform for Customs administrations, policymakers, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Regional Economic Communities, border management agencies, development partners, technology providers and private-sector stakeholders.
The conference will address persistent obstacles to cross-border trade in Africa, including fragmented procedures, duplicated controls, limited information exchange, incompatible digital systems and inadequate coordination among border agencies.
It will explore how One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), supported by interconnected Customs platforms, coordinated risk management, harmonised procedures and secure information exchange, can reduce delays, lower trade costs and improve the movement of goods across African trade corridors.
The programme will feature high-level policy dialogues, strategic discussions among Customs administrations, technical sessions on connected borders, presentations on operational experiences from existing and emerging OSBPs, technology demonstrations and discussions on public-private partnerships for financing and delivering modern border infrastructure.
Participants will also examine implementation of key AfCFTA initiatives, including the AfCFTA Integrated Transit System, the Single Bond Guarantee Scheme and the Electronic Certificate of Origin system.
These initiatives are expected to support more efficient transit procedures, simplify trade documentation and improve coordination among Customs administrations across the continent.
The conference is expected to produce practical recommendations, identify priority technology and investment opportunities, strengthen institutional partnerships and develop an implementation-focused roadmap for interconnected, digitally enabled border systems across Africa.
The NCS, under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, said it remained committed to deepening collaboration with national institutions, regional partners and international stakeholders to secure borders, facilitate legitimate trade and support Africa’s economic integration agenda.
Through the two conferences, the Service aims to strengthen accountability for ongoing reforms while promoting practical solutions that link border security with trade facilitation, technological innovation and safer communities.
The outcomes are expected to improve Customs operations, strengthen regional cooperation and advance the objectives of the AfCFTA in building a more integrated, competitive and prosperous African market.
