Customs Chief Adeniyi secures AfCFTA endorsement for C-PACT initiative

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has secured the endorsement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat for Customs-Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) initiative, aimed at addressing structural barriers hindering intra-African trade and promoting continental trade integration.

Comptroller Adeniyi made this known on Monday, 3 November 2025, during a courtesy visit to the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra, Ghana, where he met with senior officials to discuss collaborative strategies for enhancing Customs efficiency and promoting the success of the AfCFTA Agreement.

CGC Adeniyi commended the AfCFTA Secretariat for its pivotal role in mobilizing stakeholders to realize Africa’s trade potential. He highlighted the significance of the partnership in shaping the upcoming C-PACT conference, which aims to foster customs cooperation and trade facilitation across the continent.

“The AfCFTA Secretariat has been beneficial in mobilising African Customs and economic operators. We have received a concept note from the Secretariat and have engaged in a series of meetings. We now have a clear direction in which we want to go during the meeting in Abuja on November 17,” he stated.

CGC Adeniyi highlighted that one of the key outcomes of these engagements was the consensus that Customs administrations must take a lead role in addressing the long-standing issue of deficiencies in trade data across the continent.

“Most importantly, we have heard discussions centring around the fact that Customs needs to take the front role in addressing the issue of deficiencies in our trade data across the continent. This is a challenge that I have accepted to play, working with my colleagues,” he affirmed.

He further noted that the current structure established by the AfCFTA Secretariat, which unites all heads of Customs administrations under one framework, must be strengthened to ensure long-term institutional coordination and policy consistency.

“The existing structure that brings together all heads of Customs under the AfCFTA must be reinforced. Once the Customs Pact is institutionalised, it should be able to operate effectively within the Secretariat’s framework to drive sustainable trade facilitation,” he added.

The Comptroller-General emphasised that addressing challenges such as poor data integration, policy fragmentation, and weak inter-agency cooperation remained critical to unlocking Africa’s full trade potential. He expressed optimism that the C-PACT Conference would set a new benchmark for Customs collaboration and data-driven governance across the continent.

Reacting to the Comptroller-General’s remarks, the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, welcomed the Nigerian delegation to the Secretariat and commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its leadership in driving continental customs cooperation.

He acknowledged the persistent challenges against trade growth in Africa, including weak logistics infrastructure, high transportation costs, and limited inter-agency coordination. Mene explained that the Secretariat has continued to engage key stakeholders, particularly the private sector, Customs administrations, and ministries of trade, to foster stronger inter-ministerial collaboration and sustainable trade facilitation.

He expressed optimism that the upcoming Customs-Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) conference in Abuja would provide a valuable platform for addressing these barriers and exploring actionable solutions.

The Secretary-General revealed that the AfCFTA Secretariat plans to make the C-PACT conference an annual event, fostering ongoing regional dialogue on Customs cooperation and data integration. He also noted the Secretariat’s collaboration with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) to enhance private sector participation and facilitate the issuance of e-certificates of origin. Additionally, Mene highlighted ongoing discussions on establishing a Single Bond Guarantee Scheme to boost cross-border efficiency.

Mene underscored the pivotal role of Customs in the AfCFTA’s implementation, stressing the need for Customs administrations to play an active part in shaping the continent’s trade infrastructure, including trade data systems, AEO frameworks, and trade statistics management.