The Nigeria Customs Service has stepped up efforts to strengthen legitimate trade with China while intensifying the fight against smuggling, illegal wildlife trafficking, and other illicit cross-border activities.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made this known while receiving Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to China, Abdulrahman Dambazau, at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja.
Adeniyi described China as Nigeria’s largest trading partner and stressed the need for stronger collaboration to boost legitimate business, improve trade facilitation, and ensure seamless economic relations between both countries.
He disclosed that the NCS and China’s customs authorities already operate under a Customs Mutual Administrative Agreement aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation, enhancing trade transparency, and supporting compliant businesses.
The Customs boss noted that several Chinese companies operating in Nigeria are part of the Authorised Economic Operator programme, commending firms that adhere to international trade standards and regulatory requirements.
On enforcement, Adeniyi said the Service is determined to prevent Nigeria from becoming a transit hub for illegal wildlife trafficking and illicit mining activities, calling for greater intelligence sharing and joint border security operations with Chinese authorities.
He further stressed the need for accurate trade data between both nations, insisting that trade statistics from Nigeria and China must align to eliminate discrepancies and strengthen economic planning.
In his remarks, Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to China, Abdulrahman Dambazau, pledged closer engagement with the Customs Service to maximise the benefits of Nigeria-China relations. He advocated faster cargo clearance, stronger certification processes, and tighter regulation of imports, warning against the abuse of trade policies for unlawful gains.
The meeting underscored a renewed commitment by both sides to deepen economic cooperation, facilitate legitimate trade, and close the gaps exploited by smugglers and other transnational criminal networks.
