Nigeria Customs Deepens Bilateral Ties with the Netherlands on Trade Facilitation, Compliance Management

Nigeria and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are set to open a fresh chapter in Customs diplomacy and operational collaboration as the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, led a strategic delegation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on a two-day technical working visit to the Netherlands, with the aim of strengthening cooperation on trade facilitation, risk management, port efficiency, and modern compliance systems.

The bilateral visit, which took place from 29 to 31 October 2025, comes at a time Nigeria is accelerating its Customs modernisation programme, shifting to deeper data-driven procedures and adopting international best practices in line with World Customs Organisation (WCO) standards.

The engagements featured high-level technical sessions, administrative briefings, institutional benchmarking, and strategic partnership talks with Dutch Customs experts, trade regulators, and key port managers.

The visit commenced at the Laan op Zuid – the Dutch Customs Headquarters in Rotterdam – where the NCS delegation was formally received by senior officials of the Netherlands Customs Administration.

At the headquarters, the Nigerian delegation attended a detailed presentation by the National Tariff Classification Team (TeamLTT) led by Dutch Customs expert, Ed Tulp, which focused on Tariff and Origin procedures.

This was followed by another highly technical session delivered by Dennis van der Wolk of the Customs National Tactical Centre (DLTC), who took the Nigerian delegation through the Netherlands’ advanced model for risk profiling, tactical decision-making systems, and technology-enabled cargo monitoring.

Speaking during the series of sessions, CGC Adeniyi commended the Netherlands for what he described as “a highly structured and intelligence-guided Customs system anchored on data integration and scientific risk management.”

He added that “the presentations have been particularly insightful in showing how systematic collaboration and data-driven analysis can enhance compliance and trade facilitation across borders.”

According to Adeniyi, the Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to adopting and adapting models that balance trade facilitation with enforcement.

He stressed that Nigeria has the potential to significantly increase legitimate trade volumes if regulatory systems align more strongly with digital transparency, automation, and cross-border intelligence sharing.

The engagements continued with a session at Schiphol Airport, one of Europe’s busiest air freight hubs, where officials took the delegation through the Netherlands’ cargo clearance and classification systems.

The Nigerian team observed firsthand the Dutch approach to automation, pre-arrival processing, pre-clearance verification, and integrated border management for high-volume air freight.

Deputy Comptroller-General Caroline Niagwan, who heads the NCS Tariff and Trade Department, said that “the practical insights gained here will be instrumental in improving Nigeria’s own cargo handling systems, especially within our ongoing modernisation drive.”

As the mission progressed, both sides held a strategic session at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted by the Director-General of International Trade, Mr Machiel Zweers.

Discussions centred on knowledge-exchange frameworks, technical assistance platforms, capacity building, and strengthening operational alignment between both Customs administrations.

Zweers described the visit as “a new chapter of institutional partnership built on trust and innovation.” He expressed confidence that the engagements would produce a structured roadmap for sustainable cooperation.

The Nigerian delegation also visited the Ministry of Finance, where they held wrap-up meetings to consolidate learnings and identify pathways to formalise collaboration in areas such as tariff classification, gender equity in Customs administration, risk modelling, digital trade processes, and integrated port systems.

CGC Adeniyi said the meeting provided “a constructive platform to translate lessons learned into practical frameworks that will strengthen Nigeria’s Customs modernisation programme and compliance culture.”

The visit ended with a guided operational tour of the Port of Rotterdam, Portlandis – considered the largest port in Europe – where the NCS delegation was briefed on intermodal transport models, integrated logistics systems, and advanced cargo-tracking platforms implemented at the port.

CGC Adeniyi described the port tour as “an eye-opener on how synergy between Customs and port authorities can create an enabling environment for seamless trade and revenue optimisation.”

Similarly, DCG Niagwan stated that the Netherlands Customs model clearly demonstrated that “inclusivity, data intelligence, and inter-agency trust are indispensable elements of an effective Customs system.”

As Nigeria intensifies efforts to improve cargo clearance speed, reduce revenue leakages, strengthen border security, improve predictability of trade, and enhance compliance, the Netherlands visit has become a significant step in benchmarking global best practice and driving Customs diplomacy under the current leadership.

Members of the CGC’s delegation included DCG Caroline Niagwan (Tariff & Trade Department and chairperson, NCS Gender Equality Programme); Deputy Comptroller Etim Ibok (Special Assistant to the CGC); Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada (National Public Relations Officer); and Assistant Comptroller Lauretta Utubor (Team Lead, Nigeria’s Advance Ruling System), among others.

The bilateral engagements, anchored on cooperation, mutual respect, and data-led institutional learning, reaffirm NCS’s resolve to build a more globally integrated, technology-powered, and investor-friendly Customs administration.