By Seun Ibiyemi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strengthened its strategic engagement with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department in a renewed push to enhance international customs cooperation, trade facilitation, and border security.
This development followed an official visit by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, to the headquarters of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department on the sidelines of the DSA Malaysia 2026 conference.
The engagement comes amid growing bilateral trade between both countries, with Nigeria’s imports from Malaysia rising significantly from NGN 159.9 billion in 2020 to NGN 716.0 billion in 2024. Total trade between both nations has reached approximately NGN 1.82 trillion over the past five years.
During the meeting, both customs leaders held high-level discussions on institutional collaboration, customs modernisation, and coordinated border management aimed at improving efficiency and regulatory integrity.
The Malaysian Customs Director-General, Dato’ Haji Amran bin Haji Ahmad, who assumed office in March 2026, received the Nigerian delegation and highlighted ongoing reforms in enforcement and regulatory administration.
Adeniyi stressed that the scale of Nigeria–Malaysia trade relations requires a more structured customs-to-customs partnership, noting Malaysia’s importance as a key trading partner.
He listed major imports from Malaysia to Nigeria to include crude palm oil, refined palm olein, jet fuel, food preparations, machinery, and industrial inputs.
Both agencies acknowledged the absence of a formal legal framework guiding their longstanding trade relationship. To address this gap, they agreed to begin processes toward establishing a Mutual Recognition Agreement under the World Customs Organisation (WCO) framework.
The agreement is expected to improve cooperation, enhance trust, and facilitate smoother cross-border trade.
The discussions also highlighted Malaysia’s evolving border management system, including its integrated Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS).
In response, Nigeria presented its Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, which is designed to speed up clearance processes, reduce costs, and improve compliance.
Both sides emphasised the importance of collaboration in intelligence sharing, enforcement coordination, and technology-driven border management to combat illicit trade and transnational trafficking.
Reaffirming its commitment, the Nigeria Customs Service said the engagement aligns with its broader modernisation agenda aimed at strengthening trade facilitation and national security.
The Comptroller-General also visited the Nigerian Diplomatic Mission and Defence Office in Malaysia, commending their efforts in advancing Nigeria’s interests and supporting citizens abroad.
