Nigeria Customs Partners with Int’l Organisations to Boost Trade Facilitation, Hosts Workshop in Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has partnered with the World Customs Organisation (WCO), the World Bank Group (WBG), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to hold a five-day workshop on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) aimed at enhancing trade facilitation in the country.
The workshop, taking place from 7 to 11 October 2024 in Abuja, seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s compliance framework and streamline international trade processes.
At the opening ceremony, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, represented by the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Tariff and Trade, Adekunle Oloyode, commended the international organisations for their crucial role in supporting the PCA reform efforts.
He highlighted that PCA, in conjunction with the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, is integral to advancing trade facilitation and ensuring a secure and efficient trading environment.
“PCA plays a vital role in ensuring compliance in international trade and safeguarding national revenue long after goods have exited Customs control,” Adeniyi stated, emphasising the significance of this audit process.
The CGC noted that effective post-clearance audits allow the NCS to detect and prevent commercial fraud, recover lost revenue, and enhance trade facilitation measures.
The workshop’s primary focus areas include risk management, developing data-driven methodologies to identify high-risk transactions, and creating detailed audit plans.
CGC Adeniyi further stressed that the ability to conduct thorough audits is essential for balancing trade facilitation with regulatory compliance. “PCA serves as a vital tool in balancing trade facilitation with compliance,” he said.
Adeniyi also noted the importance of leveraging virtual sessions during the workshop, stating that they offer real-time insights and global knowledge-sharing, which will help the NCS innovate its PCA processes.
“These sessions enable us to address specific challenges and implement the best practices around the globe,” he added.
Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Suleiman Chiroma, from the Strategic Research and Policy Department of the NCS, reiterated the importance of PCA in ensuring seamless transactions within the Customs system.
He stressed that collaboration with international bodies like the WCO, WBG, and IMF is essential to the continued success of the NCS. “Collaboration with these organisations is key to the survival and success of the NCS,” Chiroma said.
WCO expert, Russell Clark, also commended the NCS for its dedication to improving its trade facilitation processes and expressed his appreciation for the ongoing collaboration, which aims to align Nigeria’s Customs operations with international best practices.
