Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) held a high-level bilateral meeting in London on 18 March 2026 to advance customs modernisation and trade facilitation under the Nigeria-UK Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP). The discussions occurred on the sidelines of President Bola Tinubu’s state visit, led by NCS Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and HMRC Head of International Customs Megan Shaw.
Adeniyi highlighted customs’ role as frontline enablers of secure, transparent trade in key sectors like industrial goods, agriculture, energy, and consumer products between the nations. Both sides identified a significant data discrepancy, UK exports to Nigeria at £1.7 billion in 2024 versus Nigeria’s £504 million imports, attributing it to structural gaps. They agreed to develop a pre-arrival data exchange framework linking digital customs platforms for improved risk management, reconciliation, and compliance.
The engagement showcased HMRC’s AI-driven tools, digital verification, and real-time analytics, alongside NCS modernisation efforts. Outcomes include a new Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Framework, technical scoping for capacity-building and knowledge sharing, and a joint ETIP technical mechanism.
NCS reaffirmed its modernization push through global partnerships, promising enhanced operational efficiency, trade facilitation, and alignment with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope economic agenda.