Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Olawale Edun, has lauded the Nigeria Customs Service NCS over its outstanding performance, especially in terms of trade reforms, which have improved operational procedures, culminating in the achievement of 90 per cent increase in revenue collection and surpassing its target by 20 per cent.

Meanwhile the Comptroller General of the Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR has reaffirmed the commitment of the Service under his watch to retaining its position as a regional leader in trade reforms within West and Central Africa region, assuring that it will continue to champion the New Era in Regional Trade Efficiency.

The Minister, who gave the commendation when he flagged off the 4th World Customs Organisation WCO Donors’ Conference for the West and Central Africa WCA, region, expressed confidence in the current management of the Service to build on the successes recorded by the Service in trade reforms and revenue generation.

The high-level event, which took place at the Muhammadu Buhari Conference Hall in Abuja, marked the first WCO-WCA donors’ conference since the COVID-19 pandemic and drew key stakeholders committed to modernising Customs’ operations and boosting regional economic integration.

“I am proud to commend the Nigeria Customs Service for its remarkable performance—achieving a 90 per cent increase in revenue collection and surpassing its target by 20 per cent. These achievements, driven by modernised processes and WCO-supported initiatives, illustrate how strategic investments and technology can revolutionise trade and strengthen regional integration”, the Minister stated.

In his remarks, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs, addressed the persistent technical and operational challenges confronting customs administrations in the region. He identified limited digital infrastructure and poor interconnectivity among key issues hindering trade facilitation.

“Our region faces significant hurdles, from the rapid evolution of e-commerce to the complexities of technical procedures. However, Nigeria has made innovative strides with initiatives such as deploying the indigenously developed B’Odogwu platform, installing advanced scanners, and the comprehensive training of over 5,000 officers”, he said.

CGC Adeniyi further outlined five strategic initiatives requiring donor support. These include adopting artificial intelligence for anti-smuggling operations, developing a Regional Single Window system, and expanding digital infrastructure to enhance inter-agency collaboration and trade transparency.

The conference brought together distinguished delegates, including Mr Ebenezer Tafili, representing the Secretary General of the WCO; Mr Amadou Konaté, Vice-Chair of WCO-WCA and Director-General of Mali Customs; Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency; along with several heads of customs, donor agencies, Nigeria- owned Trade Modernisation Project TMP Limited, diplomatic representatives, and industry stakeholders.