The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, GRA have agreed to strengthen partnership in combating illicit trade and promoting seamless regional trade integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
This renewed collaboration was the focus of a high-level meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the Commissioner-General of the Customs Division of the GRA, Brigadier General Glover Annan, held on Monday at the GRA Headquarters in Accra, Ghana.
Both agencies underscored the need for greater intelligence sharing, harmonised border procedures, and joint enforcement operations to counter transnational crimes and enhance legitimate trade between the two nations.
Speaking during the meeting, Brig.-Gen. Annan welcomed the Nigerian delegation and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to deepening operational ties with Nigeria’s Customs Service.
“Our nations are united not just by history and culture but by a shared vision to strengthen customs operations,” he said. “The Nigeria Customs Service continues to inspire reforms and innovation in Ghana, and we see great opportunities in renewing our collaboration.”
He also commended the NCS for championing the Customs-Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) initiative, developed in collaboration with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and supported by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
Annan noted that the upcoming C-PACT Conference, scheduled to hold in Abuja from November 17 to 19, 2025, would provide a continental platform for Customs administrations to strengthen transparency and sustainable trade.
In his remarks, CGC Adeniyi noted that criminal networks often exploit operational gaps between African Customs administrations, stressing that enhanced cooperation was essential to combat illicit trade and secure the region’s economies.
“We must bridge the gaps between our administrations because these are the same weaknesses that transnational criminals exploit,” Adeniyi said. “The more we work together, exchanging intelligence and building capacity, the stronger we will be against these syndicates.”
Adeniyi also recalled that Nigeria and Ghana had signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Customs Cooperation in 2001 and proposed a review to reflect emerging realities and opportunities under the AfCFTA.
“It would be my wish that we take a second look at that agreement and breathe new life into it,” he added. “We can identify new areas of collaboration that align with today’s challenges and the future we envision for African trade.”
The Nigeria Customs boss emphasised that his visit was also aimed at securing Ghana’s support for the upcoming C-PACT Conference, while exploring strategies to deepen intra-African trade and prosperity.
“Our mission is to strengthen the role of Customs as a major promoter of the AfCFTA. We want to increase the volume of trade within Africa and ensure that trade becomes a true driver of growth and prosperity for our people,” he concluded.
The engagement between the two Customs administrations is expected to pave the way for a renewed bilateral framework focused on intelligence-led enforcement, coordinated border management, and trade modernisation across the sub-region.