The Nigeria Customs Service and the African Export-Import Bank have renewed their commitment to strengthening trade facilitation, customs cooperation and regional integration as part of efforts to boost intra-African trade and support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The partnership was reaffirmed during a working visit by Afreximbank President and Board Chairman, Dr. George Elombi, to Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, July 3, 2026.
Adeniyi said the collaboration is built on a shared belief that Africa’s strongest trading partners are on the continent and that the region’s prosperity depends on increasing trade among African countries. He noted that the partnership has already produced tangible progress in customs modernisation and trade facilitation.
According to him, the cooperation will support Afreximbank’s regional transit initiatives, speed up the development of one-stop border posts along major trade corridors and promote global best practices in customs administration. He added that the Nigeria Customs Service is already seeing positive results from the bank’s support for regional transit systems.
Elombi praised the Customs Service for taking the lead in advancing the engagement, saying the initiative reflects a strong commitment to transforming trade across Africa. He said Afreximbank is ready to expand its support for programmes that improve trade flows and strengthen the AfCFTA framework.
The meeting also reviewed progress on the first Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade, held in Abuja in November 2025, which brought together customs administrations, development partners and private sector stakeholders to harmonise procedures and improve trade connectivity across the continent.