Nigeria and the United Kingdom have made significant progress in negotiations on a proposed Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Agreement. The agreement aims to improve trade facilitation, information exchange, and compliance between the two countries. The development follows a two-day bilateral meeting between the Nigeria Customs Service and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs at the NCS headquarters in Abuja. Officials worked through outstanding issues in the proposed agreement, which is expected to strengthen cooperation between the two customs administrations.
The proposed agreement is being negotiated as part of efforts to make cross-border trade more efficient and improve compliance with customs requirements. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, who was represented by the Assistant Comptroller-General in charge of the Strategic, Research and Policy Department, Nafi’u Isyaku, said the negotiations had been ongoing virtually for about six months. The face-to-face meeting was necessary to resolve the outstanding issues and move the agreement towards formal adoption. The meeting formed part of the process of concluding the Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Agreement ahead of its proposed signing in December.
The pact is expected to provide a framework for closer cooperation between the NCS and HMRC, particularly through the exchange of relevant customs information and stronger compliance mechanisms. According to the NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, the meeting enabled both administrations to examine areas of mutual cooperation and work towards establishing a framework that would reflect the interests of the two authorities. The proposed agreement is expected to support trade between Nigeria and the UK, while stronger customs cooperation would enhance trade facilitation.
HMRC Policy Adviser, Syed Moinuddin, said the discussions provided an opportunity to further strengthen relations between the NCS and HMRC within the wider international customs community. The Head of Bilateral Relations and Agreements at HMRC, Louisa Bentley, said the two-day negotiations had recorded progress, with both sides nearing completion of the agreement. Improved information sharing and compliance between the two customs authorities would support trade between Nigeria and the UK.
Beyond the negotiations, the HMRC delegation inspected selected NCS facilities as part of the visit. The delegation visited the Trade Modernisation Project Limited office, the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report office, and the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network station. Bentley commended the technological and operational changes witnessed during the tour, particularly developments in technology and personnel training.
The meeting ended with a tour of other key Customs departments, where the NCS presented its ongoing reforms and operational developments to the UK delegation. The proposed agreement is expected to be concluded ahead of its planned signing in December, subject to the resolution of the remaining issues between the two administrations. The agreement will enhance trade facilitation and help both countries take advantage of opportunities in global trade.
The Nigeria-UK customs agreement is expected to be signed in the first week of December during the World Customs Organisation Policy Commission meeting. The signing of the agreement will mark a significant milestone in the bilateral trade relations between Nigeria and the UK. The agreement will also provide a framework for cooperation between the two customs administrations, enhancing trade facilitation and compliance.
Key points
- The proposed agreement aims to improve trade facilitation, information exchange, and compliance between Nigeria and the UK.
- The agreement is expected to be signed in December, subject to the resolution of the remaining issues between the two administrations.
- The pact will provide a framework for closer cooperation between the NCS and HMRC, particularly through the exchange of relevant customs information and stronger compliance mechanisms.
