By Seun Ibiyemi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has deepened its strategic partnership with the United Kingdom’s customs authority following a high-level bilateral meeting aimed at boosting trade facilitation and transparency between both countries.
The engagement, held in London on March 18, 2026, brought together the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and Ms Megan Shaw, Head of International Customs and Border Engagement at His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
The meeting took place under the Nigeria–United Kingdom Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP), on the sidelines of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the UK.
Discussions focused on advancing customs modernisation, improving data transparency in bilateral trade, and strengthening operational collaboration to enhance efficiency and integrity along the Nigeria–UK trade corridor.
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Adeniyi said effective customs cooperation remains critical to driving economic growth and sustainable trade development.
He noted that both countries share a long-standing economic relationship spanning sectors such as industrial goods, agriculture, energy, and consumer products.
He added that customs administrations play a frontline role in ensuring that trade flows remain secure, transparent, and beneficial to both nations.
A key issue highlighted during the meeting was the significant discrepancy in bilateral trade data. While Nigeria recorded imports of about £504 million worth of UK-origin goods in 2024, the UK reported exports to Nigeria valued at approximately £1.7 billion within the same period.
Both parties described the gap as a structural challenge and agreed to explore the establishment of a pre-arrival data exchange system between their digital customs platforms.
The initiative is expected to improve risk management, enhance data reconciliation, and strengthen compliance monitoring.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for both sides to showcase their customs modernisation programmes. HMRC highlighted its use of artificial intelligence-driven trade tools, digital verification systems, and real-time analytics.
As part of outcomes from the engagement, both administrations agreed to develop a Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Framework, begin technical scoping for capacity building and knowledge exchange, and establish a joint technical engagement mechanism under the ETIP framework.
The NCS reiterated its commitment to strengthening international partnerships as part of its broader modernisation agenda.
The Service said insights from the engagement would enhance its operational capacity, promote trade facilitation, and support Nigeria’s economic reform objectives under the Renewed Hope programme.
