By Stella Odueme
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced plans to host two major conferences in Abuja in December 2026 to strengthen border security, improve trade facilitation and promote economic integration across Africa.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Conference will hold from December 7 to 8, while the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) 2026 Conference is scheduled for December 9 to 11.
According to the NCS, in a statement by it's Deputy Comptroller of Customs and National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, on Sunday, the CGC Conference will focus on reviewing the Service’s modernisation reforms, assessing progress made in implementing previous commitments and strengthening the relationship between national security and legitimate trade.
The conference is themed “Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities.”
It will bring together government officials, Customs executives, trade stakeholders and institutional partners to discuss digital Customs operations, trusted trade corridors, seamless payments and intelligence-led enforcement.
Participants will also examine the outcomes of commitments made in 2025 and achievements recorded in 2026, alongside presentations on Customs modernisation and the presentation of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates.
The Service said the conference would provide opportunities for stakeholders to assess ongoing reforms, identify implementation challenges and explore ways to improve operational efficiency and revenue generation.
The second day will focus on coordinated responses to emerging border threats, with the participation of relevant institutions, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
The C-PACT 2026 Conference will build on the discussions at the CGC Conference by addressing border management and trade integration challenges across the African continent.
With the theme “One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts,” the conference will bring together Customs administrations, policymakers, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Regional Economic Communities, development partners and private-sector representatives.
Deliberations will centre on addressing fragmented border procedures, duplicated controls, inadequate information exchange and incompatibility among digital systems used by border agencies.
The conference will also examine how One-Stop Border Posts, harmonised procedures, coordinated risk management and secure information-sharing platforms can reduce delays and trade costs while improving the movement of goods across African trade corridors.
Other activities will include policy dialogues, technical sessions, technology demonstrations and discussions on public-private partnerships for financing and developing modern border infrastructure.
Participants are also expected to discuss the implementation of key AfCFTA initiatives, including the Integrated Transit System, Single Bond Guarantee Scheme and Electronic Certificate of Origin system.
The NCS said the conferences would produce practical recommendations, identify investment opportunities and strengthen partnerships towards developing interconnected and digitally enabled border systems across Africa.
The Service, under Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, reaffirmed its commitment to working with national and international partners to secure Nigeria’s borders, facilitate legitimate trade and advance Africa’s economic integration.