Nigeria has taken a significant step forward on its trade facilitation journey with the official launch by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of its AEO programme.
“The launch of the programme is just one element of a modernisation and efficiency effort in the Nigeria Customs Service, one marked by clear leadership by the Comptroller General and his team,” said WCO secretary general, Ian Saunders.
Before its launch, the NCS piloted the AEO programme with six economic operators with a variety of business models, including SMEs who export finished products.
This initiative is aligned with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria’s economy by 2030, focusing on diversifying it beyond the oil sector, strengthening agricultural value chains, and improving the manufacturing sector's competitiveness. The pilot phase provided valuable insights, allowing for the refinement of the AEO framework to meet the various business models adopted by diverse economic operators within the supply chain.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, pointed to a reduction of at least 66.9% in clearance times reported by the companies participating in the pilot phase. Additional benefits include accelerated customs clearance processes, a substantial reduction in physical inspections and measurable cost efficiencies.
The six economic operators in the AEO pilot were granted their AEO statuses, and the NCS said it was keen to increase the programme’s uptake in Nigeria.
This will be achieved by providing tangible and impactful trade facilitation benefits and leveraging technology to automate the end-to-end AEO process, including an AEO portal. With improved access to resources and training opportunities through the AEO portal, more businesses will be empowered to achieve AEO status, unlocking numerous trade benefits.
