Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, held a high-level meeting with the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene.
The meeting between the duo was on the margins of the Biashara Afrika 2024 Forum, hosted in Kigali, Rwanda, from 9 to 11 October, 2024.
The forum was a significant engagement which brought together key stakeholders to discuss ways to enhance intra-African trade and foster deeper economic integration.
The meeting between CGC Adeniyi and the AfCFTA Secretary-General provided a unique opportunity to refine strategies aimed at improving trade facilitation under the AfCFTA agreement.
Discussions centred on addressing existing bottlenecks and encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the agreement, given their critical role in boosting intra-African trade.
As contained in a release by the NCS National Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, during the meeting, particular emphasis was placed on the role of Customs in these efforts.
The AfCFTA Secretary-General praised the NCS for its progressive initiatives. These included the pilot phase of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme, the implementation of Advanced Rulings, and the conduct of Time Release studies.
“These initiatives have positioned the NCS as a benchmark for customs administrations across Africa,” the AfCFTA Secretary-General, Wamkele Mene said.
Responding, the NCS CGC commended the Secretary-General for his unwavering commitment to advancing the goals of AfCFTA, despite the resource constraints faced by the Secretariat.
He also acknowledged the critical support provided by the President Bola Tinubu administration and the legislative arm through the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“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,” he said.
“The high point of the meeting was the recent achievement of Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa, CEO of LE LOOK Nigeria Limited. She became the first woman to export goods under the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) of the AfCFTA to East, Central and North African countries.
“The success of Mrs Ezenwa, marked by the export of goods on 16 July, 2024 from Apapa Port in Lagos, underscored the growing opportunities for Nigerian businesses in the continental market.
“A key outcome of the meeting was the commitment of the AfCFTA Secretariat to developing 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,” it stated in the release.
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.
