Biashara Afrika 2024: Customs meets Mene, Harps on energizing intra- African trade, SMEs through AFCFTA

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Wamkele Mene, the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), has commended the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his progressive and forward-thinking initiatives geared at boosting intra-African trade.

From left Adeniyi and Mene in a warm handshake

Mene at a high-level meeting between Nigerian Customs Service(NCS) and AfCFTA secretariat held on the sidelines of the Biashara Afrika 2024 forum,Kigali, Rwanda from October 9 to 11 commended Adewale for championing deeper economic integration.

In a release made available by Abdulahi Maiwada, Public Relations Officer(PRO) of NCS, to Nation Update said the chief scribe of the AfCFTA praised such innovative measures as Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program.

Emphasising on encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the agreement.

Mene further thumbed up the implementation of Advanced Rulings, and the conduct of Time Release studies, saying these initiatives have positioned the NCS as a standard to look up to by other customs administrations across Africa.

In his response, CGC Adeniyi commended SG Mene for his unwavering commitment to advancing the AfCFTA’s goals, despite the resource constraints faced by the Secretariat.

Commended the critical support provided by President Bola Tinubu and the legislative arm through the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

He said, “The Act has been instrumental in providing the necessary legal framework for implementing initiatives that align with the government’s vision of making Nigeria the most efficient trading nation on the continent, fostering SME growth, and boosting exports to strengthen intra-African trade.”

Adeniyi and Ezenwa

The high point of the conversation was the recent achievement of Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa, CEO of LE LOOK Nigeria Limited, who became the first woman to export goods under the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) of the AfCFTA to East, Central, and North African countries. Her success, marked by the export of goods on 16th July 2024 from Apapa Port in Lagos, underscores the growing opportunities for Nigerian businesses in the continental market.

key outcome of the meeting was the AfCFTA Secretariat’s commitment to develop a concept note outlining the way forward for the free trade area. In turn, the NCS pledged to bring these discussions to the Heads of Customs Administrations platform in Africa, ensuring a coordinated approach to addressing customs-related challenges across the continent.

The Biashara Afrika, now in its second edition, has established itself as a formidable platform for engagement between African public and private actors on the effective implementation of the AfCFTA. This year’s forum focused on addressing the evolving challenges in the business environment and seeking innovative solutions to facilitate cross-border trade.