The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening legitimate trade relations with China while intensifying efforts to combat illicit trade and other unlawful economic activities through stronger bilateral cooperation and enforcement mechanisms.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, stated this on Wednesday during a meeting with Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to China, Abdulrahman Dambazau, at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja.
Adeniyi described Dambazau as a seasoned leader whose military background and public service experience positioned him well for the diplomatic assignment, expressing confidence in his ability to strengthen Nigeria’s engagement with China.
The Customs boss noted that China remains Nigeria’s largest trading partner, adding that discussions during the meeting focused on improving strategic trade relations and enhancing legitimate business activities involving Chinese companies operating in Nigeria.
According to him, several Chinese firms are already participating in the Service’s Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, while companies complying with global trade standards and regulations continue to receive recognition from the Service.
Adeniyi further disclosed that the NCS maintains a Customs Mutual Administrative Agreement (CMAA) with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) to support trade facilitation and strengthen customs cooperation between both countries.
He stressed the importance of inter-agency collaboration in achieving effective trade operations, noting that Customs cannot function in isolation.
“Stronger engagement and continuous communication between the NCS and China will ensure more effective trade facilitation and mutual economic benefit,” he said.
The CGC also highlighted the need for trade statistics released by both countries to align more accurately in order to eliminate discrepancies in bilateral trade analysis.
On enforcement efforts, Adeniyi said Nigeria remains determined to prevent the country from becoming a transit route for illegal wildlife trafficking and other transnational crimes, calling for improved intelligence sharing and joint operations with Chinese authorities.
He equally advocated stronger collaboration in tackling illegal mining activities and improving data-driven border enforcement operations.
Speaking during the visit, Dambazau expressed appreciation for the warm reception, describing the engagement with the Customs leadership as critical to the success of his diplomatic mission.
He said closer cooperation with the NCS would help maximise the benefits of Nigeria-China relations, particularly in trade and investment.
The ambassador-designate also underscored the strategic role of Customs in implementing zero-tariff trade arrangements for African countries, while emphasising the need for faster cargo clearance, stronger certification systems, and tighter regulation of imports from China.
He warned against the abuse of trade policies for unlawful activities and called for sustained collaboration between both countries.
“Stronger collaboration and continuous support from the NCS will ensure smoother trade processes and the full realisation of Nigeria-China trade relations,” Dambazau stated.
