Nigeria, Netherlands Customs Sign Pact to Boost Trade, Border Security

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Customs Administration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have signed a Joint Declaration aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation on trade facilitation, border security, intelligence sharing and the fight against transnational organised crime.

The agreement was signed in Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the Director-General of Netherlands Customs, Mrs. Nanette van Schelven.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, the declaration marks a significant milestone in efforts by both countries to modernise customs operations, improve compliance management and enhance enforcement cooperation.

The agreement follows a series of high-level engagements between the two customs administrations, including a bilateral working visit by the Nigeria Customs Service to the Netherlands in October 2025 and a reciprocal visit by a Netherlands Customs delegation to Nigeria in March 2026.

Maiwada said the partnership is designed to deepen cooperation in key areas such as risk management, cargo clearance systems, trade facilitation, border control, supply chain security, capacity development and the fight against illicit trade.

The two customs administrations also acknowledged Nigeria’s strategic position as one of West Africa’s largest economies and an important trading partner of the Netherlands, stressing that stronger institutional cooperation is essential to facilitating legitimate trade while tackling cross-border crimes.

The declaration identified trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, counterfeit goods, wildlife products and illicit weapons as emerging threats requiring coordinated international action.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi said the partnership reflects the growing importance of international collaboration in addressing evolving trade and border management challenges.

He noted that the agreement would strengthen intelligence sharing, enhance capacity building, improve enforcement effectiveness and support efforts to secure international supply chains while facilitating legitimate trade.

Adeniyi described the declaration as a major milestone in the Nigeria Customs Service’s international cooperation agenda and a testament to the strong relationship built between the two customs administrations over the years.

In her remarks, the Director-General of Netherlands Customs, Mrs. Nanette van Schelven, said both countries face similar challenges in an increasingly interconnected global trading environment.

She expressed confidence that closer collaboration would promote mutual learning, strengthen operational capabilities and improve efforts to combat transnational organised crime while supporting efficient and transparent trade processes.

Under the agreement, both parties committed to expanding cooperation through the exchange of expertise, personnel training, knowledge sharing and the development of structured frameworks for future collaboration.

The declaration also provides the foundation for a joint work plan aimed at improving border efficiency, promoting fair trade practices, strengthening supply chain security and addressing challenges associated with both legal and illegal cross-border movement of goods.