The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Customs Administration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have signed a landmark Joint Declaration aimed at strengthening cooperation on trade facilitation, border security, intelligence sharing, and the fight against transnational organised crime.
The agreement, signed in Brussels by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the Director-General of Netherlands Customs, Nanette van Schelven, marks a significant step in expanding bilateral customs relations between the two countries.
According to the Deputy Comptroller of Customs and
National Public Relations Officer,
Abdullahi Maiwada in a statement on Thursday, the declaration follows months of high-level engagements, including the Nigeria Customs Service's working visit to the Netherlands in October 2025 and a reciprocal visit by a Dutch Customs delegation to Nigeria in March 2026.
Both customs administrations agreed to deepen collaboration in key areas such as risk management, cargo clearance systems, intelligence sharing, compliance management, trade facilitation, border control, supply chain security, capacity development, and enforcement cooperation.
The declaration also acknowledges Nigeria's strategic role as one of West Africa's leading economies and an important trading partner of the Netherlands, stressing that stronger customs cooperation is essential for facilitating legitimate trade while tackling illegal cross-border activities.
It further highlights growing concerns over the trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, counterfeit products, wildlife products, and illicit weapons, noting that such threats require coordinated international action.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi described the agreement as a major milestone in the Nigeria Customs Service's international cooperation agenda.
"The Netherlands Customs have demonstrated the immense value of international cooperation in addressing emerging trade and border management challenges," Adeniyi said.
According to him, the partnership will strengthen intelligence sharing, enhance capacity building, improve enforcement effectiveness, and support joint efforts to secure international supply chains while facilitating legitimate trade.
He added that the declaration reflects the strong relationship that has developed between the two customs administrations over the years and lays the foundation for more structured collaboration.
Director-General of Netherlands Customs Nanette van Schelven said both countries face similar challenges in an increasingly interconnected global trading environment.
She noted that closer cooperation would encourage mutual learning, strengthen operational capabilities, and improve efforts to combat transnational organised crime while promoting efficient and transparent trade processes.
Under the agreement, both customs administrations committed to exchanging expertise, conducting joint training programmes, sharing knowledge, and developing structured cooperation frameworks.
The declaration also provides the basis for a joint work plan and future cooperation mechanisms designed to improve border efficiency, strengthen supply chain security, promote fair trade practices, and address challenges associated with both legal and illegal cross-border movement of goods.
The Nigeria Customs Service said the partnership underscores its commitment to international collaboration as part of ongoing reforms to modernise customs operations, enhance trade facilitation, and strengthen national and regional border security