The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will host two major conferences in Abuja in December 2026 to strengthen border security, facilitate legitimate trade and advance economic integration across Africa.
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.
According to a statement by the NCS National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, the CGC Conference will be held under the theme, “Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities.”
The conference will provide a platform for reviewing the Service’s modernisation initiatives, assessing progress on previous commitments and strengthening the connection between effective customs administration, national security and trade facilitation.
Discussions will focus on digital customs operations, trusted trade corridors, seamless payments, intelligence-led enforcement, emerging border threats and inter-agency collaboration.
Participants will also review commitments made in 2025 and achievements recorded in 2026, alongside presentations on customs modernisation and the presentation of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates.
The programme will further examine how digital transformation and partnerships with stakeholders are improving customs operations, revenue generation and the movement of legitimate goods.
Key institutions expected to contribute to the discussions include the National Single Window Secretariat, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), and representatives of the excise sector and other relevant stakeholders.
The second day will focus on coordinated responses to emerging border threats, bringing together security and enforcement agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, the NCS, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
Building on the national-level discussions, C-PACT 2026 will extend the conversation to the continental stage under the theme, “One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts.”
The conference will bring together customs administrations, policymakers, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Regional Economic Communities, border management agencies, development partners, technology providers and private-sector representatives.
It will address persistent barriers to cross-border trade, including fragmented procedures, duplicated controls, limited information sharing, incompatible digital systems and inadequate coordination among border agencies.
Participants will explore how One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), supported by interconnected customs platforms, harmonised procedures, coordinated risk management and secure information exchange, can reduce delays, lower trading costs and improve the movement of goods across African trade corridors.
The C-PACT 2026 programme will feature high-level policy dialogues, strategic engagements among customs administrations, technical sessions on connected borders, technology demonstrations and presentations on operational experiences from existing and emerging One-Stop Border Posts.
It will also examine public-private partnerships for financing and delivering modern border infrastructure, alongside the implementation of key AfCFTA initiatives, including the AfCFTA Integrated Transit System, the Single Bond Guarantee Scheme and the Electronic Certificate of Origin system.
According to the NCS, the continental conference is expected to produce practical recommendations, identify priority investment and technology opportunities, strengthen institutional partnerships and develop an implementation-focused roadmap for digitally connected border systems across Africa.
The Service, under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the conferences underscore its commitment to working with national institutions, regional partners and international stakeholders to secure borders, facilitate legitimate trade and support Africa’s economic integration agenda.
The outcomes are expected to strengthen accountability for ongoing reforms, improve customs operations and deepen regional cooperation in support of the AfCFTA’s objectives of building a more integrated, competitive and prosperous African market.
