Customs Conference, C-PACT 2026 to advance digital borders, AfCFTA implementation

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is set to advance digital border management, strengthen regional Customs cooperation and accelerate implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiatives through two major conferences scheduled to hold in Abuja in December 2026.

The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Conference will hold from December 7 to 8, followed by the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) 2026 Conference from December 9 to 11.

The conferences are expected to bring together government officials, Customs administrations, security agencies, policymakers, trade stakeholders, technology providers and development partners to explore practical solutions for improving border security, facilitating legitimate trade and deepening Africa’s economic integration.

According to a statement by the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, the two events will focus on strengthening institutional collaboration, reviewing ongoing reforms and promoting technology-driven approaches to Customs administration.

The CGC Conference, themed “Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities,” will examine the relationship between effective border management, national security and trade facilitation.

Discussions will centre on digital Customs operations, trusted trade corridors, seamless payments, intelligence-led enforcement and partnerships to address emerging border threats.

Participants will also review commitments made at the 2025 conference and assess progress recorded in 2026, alongside presentations on Customs modernisation, the presentation of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates and efforts to measure the impact of reforms on trade and revenue.

Stakeholders expected to participate include representatives of the National Single Window Secretariat, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), AEO beneficiaries, excise-sector operators and other relevant institutions.

The second day of the CGC Conference will focus on coordinated responses to converging security threats, with the participation of institutions 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 engagement is expected to strengthen inter-agency cooperation and identify ways to improve intelligence sharing and enforcement while maintaining efficient trade processes.

Building on the national conference, C-PACT 2026 will extend discussions to the continental level, with emphasis on interconnected border systems and coordinated Customs procedures as instruments for advancing the AfCFTA.

The conference, themed “One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts,” will bring together African Customs administrations, the AfCFTA Secretariat, Regional Economic Communities, border management agencies, development partners, technology providers and private-sector stakeholders.

It will address challenges that continue to impede cross-border trade across Africa, including fragmented procedures, duplicated inspections and controls, limited information exchange, incompatible digital systems and weak coordination among border agencies.

Participants will examine how One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), supported by interconnected Customs platforms, harmonised procedures, coordinated risk management and secure information exchange, can reduce delays, lower the cost of trade and improve the predictability of goods movement along regional trade corridors.

The programme will feature high-level policy discussions, technical sessions on connected borders, technology demonstrations and presentations on operational experiences from existing and emerging OSBPs.

Discussions will also explore public-private partnerships as a means of financing and delivering modern border infrastructure across the continent.

A major component of the conference will be the 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 intended to support more coordinated transit procedures, simplify the movement of goods across national borders and improve the exchange and verification of trade information among participating countries.

C-PACT 2026 is expected to generate practical recommendations, identify priority technology and investment opportunities, strengthen institutional partnerships and develop an implementation-oriented roadmap for interconnected, digitally enabled border systems across Africa.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the Service’s management team reiterated the NCS commitment to collaborating 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 reinforce accountability for its modernisation reforms while promoting practical approaches that balance effective enforcement with efficient trade processes.

The further stated that the outcomes are expected to support improvements in Customs operations, strengthen regional cooperation and contribute to the AfCFTA’s broader objective of building a more integrated, competitive and prosperous African market.