NCS, American Business Council Strengthen Trade Ties, Pledge Enhanced Business Engagement
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the American Business Council (ABC) have renewed their commitment to deepening trade relations and resolving challenges affecting business operations through sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors.
The commitment was reaffirmed during the quarterly engagement meeting held on Monday, 16 June 2026, at the Service Headquarters in Abuja, where both parties discussed measures aimed at improving trade facilitation, strengthening security and fostering stronger economic relations between Nigeria and the United States.
Speaking at the meeting, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, underscored the importance of maintaining regular consultations with stakeholders, describing such engagements as critical to promoting efficiency and addressing concerns within the trading environment.
According to him, the Customs Service intends to institutionalise the meetings as a permanent feature on its calendar in recognition of the value attached to stakeholder engagement.
“It is our intention that we will institutionalise this as a permanent feature of the Customs calendar because of the importance we attach to this kind of engagement,” Adeniyi stated.
The Customs boss also briefed participants on several ongoing reforms and trade facilitation initiatives being implemented by the Service. These include the Advance Ruling system, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, Post Clearance Audit procedures, the B’Odogwu digital platform, and efforts to improve scanning integration and cargo clearance processes.
He noted that the initiatives are designed to enhance operational efficiency, simplify trade procedures and create a more conducive environment for businesses operating in the country.
Members of the American Business Council welcomed the reforms and applauded the Service’s commitment to modernising customs processes. They, however, urged the agency to establish faster mechanisms for addressing lingering challenges confronting businesses.
President of the American Business Council, Nneka Enwereji, described the meeting as highly productive and commended the Customs leadership for its dedication to improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
“This session has been phenomenal and demonstrates your commitment to improving ease of doing business. You have raised the bar, and there is a lot that can be learned from this,” she said.
The meeting further reinforced the growing partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service and the American Business Council, with both sides expressing optimism that sustained dialogue and collaboration would help remove trade bottlenecks, promote investment and strengthen economic ties between Nigeria and the United States.
Observers noted that the continued engagement between Customs and the organised private sector reflects broader efforts by the Service to modernise trade processes, enhance transparency and support economic growth through improved cross-border commerce.
