Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Lagos — The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has approved the provision of safe corridors and safe passage to ease the movement of loaded trucks awaiting clearance to the Republic of Niger, as part of efforts to unlock transit bottlenecks and strengthen cross-border trade.
CGC Adeniyi made this known during a high-level bilateral meeting between the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, and the Niger Republic Customs Administration, led by its Director-General, Muhammadu Yaqouba, at the Customs House, Maitama, Abuja.
He explained that the initiative aims to facilitate the movement of transit cargo, particularly goods from Apapa ports and Nigerian airports, destined for neighbouring countries, while ensuring that national security and economic interests are not compromised.
Adeniyi assured that such cargoes would continue to be processed and moved within 48 hours, adding that strict measures have been put in place to prevent diversion of transit goods, with stiff sanctions awaiting economic operators who violate transit regulations.
According to him, non-compliance by a few operators creates non-tariff barriers and undermines trust, stressing that the Service is determined to streamline documentation and remove avoidable bottlenecks along major corridors such as Illela–Sokoto–Kamba–Niger Republic, as well as routes linking Apapa ports and airports to neighbouring countries.
CGC Adeniyi congratulated the Director-General of Niger Republic Customs on his appointment, noting that both administrations share a long history of professional collaboration through World Customs Organisation, WCO, platforms and bilateral engagements.
“Cooperation between the two Customs services is shaped not only by shared borders but also by international obligations, particularly Nigeria’s responsibilities under Articles 124 to 132 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantee landlocked countries access to the sea,” he said.
He acknowledged the operational challenges faced by landlocked nations, explaining that dependence on neighbouring ports and infrastructure often increases transaction costs and affects competitiveness.
“The Nigeria Customs Service has, over the years, remained committed to facilitating trade for our landlocked neighbours, including the Republic of Niger. This commitment will be sustained irrespective of political differences, because trade, security and regional stability are interconnected,” he added.
He described the engagement as the beginning of a renewed phase of cooperation, stressing that sustained follow-up actions would help redefine operational modalities, reduce costs, increase trade volumes and make the corridor more attractive to transport operators.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Niger Republic Customs Administration, Muhammadu Yaqouba, described the visit as a working engagement between two professional Customs administrations bound by shared responsibilities.
He thanked the Nigeria Customs Service for the warm reception accorded to him and his delegation, noting that it reflected the longstanding fraternity between both countries and their Customs institutions.
According to him, the visit was necessitated by two significant challenges: the prolonged blockage of trucks transiting from the Republic of Benin to the Niger Republic and prevailing security concerns across the region.
“We face common security challenges, particularly terrorism and banditry, and engagements like this provide an opportunity to find lasting solutions through cooperation and coordination,” DG Yaqouba said.
