By Harriet Tornguvan
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration in combating illicit trade and enhancing trade facilitation across West Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
This resolution was reached during a high-level meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the Commissioner-General of the GRA Customs Division, Brigadier General Glover Annan at the GRA Headquarters in Accra, Ghana.
Both agencies emphasized the importance of intelligence sharing, harmonized border procedures, and joint enforcement strategies as crucial measures to curb transnational crimes and strengthen legitimate trade between the two countries.
Welcoming the Nigerian delegation, Brig.-Gen. Annan commended the NCS for its leadership role in promoting customs modernization and regional cooperation. He described the meeting as a milestone in strengthening operational ties between both countries.
“Our nations are united not only by history and culture but also by a shared vision to strengthen customs operations. The Nigeria Customs Service has continued to inspire our reforms and innovations in Ghana, and we see great opportunities in renewing our collaboration,” he said.
He also lauded the NCS for championing the Customs-Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT), developed in collaboration with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and supported by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
According to him, the upcoming C-PACT Conference scheduled to hold in Abuja from November 17 to 19, 2025, would serve as a continental platform for advancing transparency, lawful trade, and sustainable economic growth.
CGC Adeniyi highlighted the need for stronger cross-border cooperation to counter the operations of criminal networks exploiting operational gaps between Customs administrations across Africa.
“We must bridge the gaps between our administrations because these are the same weaknesses that transnational criminals exploit.
"The more we work together, exchanging intelligence and building capacity, the stronger we will be against these syndicates,” he stated.
The Customs boss recalled that both countries had signed a memorandum of understanding on Customs cooperation in 2001 and suggested that the agreement be reviewed to reflect current realities and new opportunities presented by the AfCFTA.
“It would be my wish that we take a second look at that agreement and breathe new life into it. We can identify new areas of collaboration that align with today’s challenges and the future we envision for African trade,” Adeniyi added.
He further noted that his visit was aimed at seeking Ghana’s support for the forthcoming C-PACT Conference and exploring joint strategies to boost intra-African trade and economic prosperity.
“Our mission is to strengthen the role of Customs as a major promoter of AfCFTA. We want to increase the volume of trade within Africa and ensure that trade becomes a true driver of growth and prosperity for our people,” he said.
The engagement between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Ghana Revenue Authority is expected to pave the way for a renewed bilateral framework centered on intelligence-led enforcement, coordinated border management, and modernized trade systems across the sub-region.
