Nigeria, Ghana Customs Align Strategies for Modernised Border Operations

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has deepened its partnership with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to combat illicit trade and enhance regional trade integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, reaffirmed this commitment during a high-level visit to the Commissioner-General of the Customs Division of GRA, Brigadier General Glover Annan, at the Authority’s Headquarters in Accra, Ghana.

Both agencies used the meeting to emphasise the importance of intelligence sharing, harmonised border procedures, and joint enforcement strategies as critical tools for dismantling transnational criminal networks and boosting legitimate trade between Nigeria and Ghana.

Brig.-Gen. Annan welcomed the Nigerian delegation and expressed Ghana’s readiness to deepen operational collaboration with the NCS.

“Our nations are united not just by history and culture but also by a shared vision to strengthen customs operations. The Nigeria Customs Service has continued to inspire our reforms and innovation in Ghana, and we see great opportunities in renewing our collaboration,” Brig.-Gen. Annan said.

He praised the NCS for spearheading the Customs-Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) initiative, jointly developed with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and supported by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).

According to Annan, the forthcoming C-PACT Conference, billed for Abuja from November 17 to 19, 2025, will serve as a continental forum where African Customs administrations will deliberate on frameworks promoting transparency, lawful trade, and sustainable economic growth.

In response, Adeniyi underscored that criminal syndicates were exploiting operational gaps among African Customs institutions to smuggle prohibited goods, dangerous substances, and contraband across borders.

“He emphasised that enhanced cooperation was crucial to counter these threats and protect regional economies.

‘We must bridge the gaps between our administrations because these are the same weaknesses that transnational criminals exploit. The more we work together, exchanging intelligence and building capacity, the stronger we will be against these syndicates,’” Adeniyi said.

He reminded his Ghanaian counterpart that Nigeria and Ghana had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Customs cooperation in 2001, noting that the document should be reviewed to reflect present-day trade realities and evolving regional challenges.

“It would be my wish that we take a second look at that agreement and breathe new life into it. We can identify new areas of collaboration that align with today’s challenges and the future we envision for African trade,” he added.

Adeniyi explained that his visit also sought to secure Ghana’s support for the upcoming C-PACT Conference while discussing practical steps to enhance intra-African trade and economic prosperity through Customs modernisation and collaboration.

“Our mission is to strengthen the role of Customs as a major promoter of AfCFTA. We want to increase the volume of trade within Africa and ensure that trade becomes a true driver of growth and prosperity for our people,” he said.

The renewed engagement between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Ghana Revenue Authority marks a crucial step toward establishing an updated bilateral framework focused on intelligence-led enforcement, coordinated border management, and trade modernisation across West Africa.

This partnership is expected to serve as a model for regional cooperation, demonstrating how proactive Customs collaboration can safeguard economies while fostering the economic integration envisioned under the AfCFTA.