Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria and the United Kingdom have intensified customs cooperation in a move aimed at boosting trade efficiency, closing a significant data gap, and accelerating digital border management between both economies.
The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, and the United Kingdom’s His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, HMRC, reached the agreement during a high-level bilateral meeting in London, held under the Nigeria–UK Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership, ETIP.
At the heart of the discussions is a striking discrepancy in trade figures between both countries. While Nigeria recorded about £504 million worth of UK-origin imports in 2024, the UK reported exports to Nigeria valued at approximately £1.7 billion for the same period.
The NCS in a statement said resolving this £1.2 billion gap is critical to improving transparency, compliance, and revenue assurance.
To address this, both sides agreed to explore a structured pre-arrival data exchange system linking their digital customs platforms.
“This will enhance risk management, improve data reconciliation, and strengthen compliance monitoring,” the statement said.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who led Nigeria’s delegation, according to the statement, underscored the economic importance of the partnership.
“Effective customs cooperation remains a critical enabler of economic growth and sustainable trade development,” Adeniyi said, noting that both countries share strong trade ties across industrial goods, agriculture, energy, and consumer products.
The meeting also focused heavily on digital transformation, with the UK showcasing advanced tools including artificial intelligence-driven trade systems, digital verification platforms, and real-time analytics.
Both countries agreed to deepen collaboration in deploying such technologies to modernize border operations and improve efficiency.
Key outcomes from the engagement include plans to develop a Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Framework, initiate technical cooperation on capacity building, and establish a joint technical engagement mechanism under the ETIP platform.
The NCS said the partnership aligns with its broader modernization agenda and Nigeria’s economic reform drive.
“The Service reiterates its commitment to deepening international partnerships to promote transparency, efficiency, and competitiveness in Nigeria’s trading environment,” the statement added.
