By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday charged African nations to dismantle inefficient borders, modernise their Customs systems, and commit to a unified trade architecture capable of unlocking the continent’s long-elusive economic potential.

Declaring open the maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Summit at the State House, Abuja, President Tinubu—represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima—said Africa’s prosperity depends on deliberate, coordinated reforms that turn its population and market size into genuine economic power.

Shettima told the gathering of heads of Customs from across the continent that Africa must replace fragmented markets with unified policies driven by political will, institutional alignment, and technology-enabled efficiency.

According to him, the administration’s economic reforms—ranging from exchange-rate unification and fuel subsidy removal to port modernisation and Customs digitalisation—were designed to create a globally competitive trade environment and strengthen Nigeria’s continental influence.

He announced that Nigeria’s National Single Window, set to go live in March 2026, will slash cargo clearance timelines from 21 days to under seven, aligning Nigeria fully with AfCFTA digital trade requirements.

“Integration cannot be declared. It must be engineered,” the VP told delegates, urging African governments to convert commitments into measurable, daily impacts for traders and manufacturers.

Customs CG: AfCFTA Success Depends on Customs Leadership

In his remarks, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said President Tinubu extended his mandate with KPIs tied directly to AfCFTA execution.

He noted that the Nigeria Customs Service has, in the last three months, intensified engagements with Customs administrations across Africa to ensure that Customs occupies its rightful place at the centre of AfCFTA implementation.

Adeniyi recalled recent engagements in Ghana, stressing that Customs must drive rules of origin enforcement, preferential duty implementation and trade preference management—core pillars that determine whether AfCFTA succeeds or remains aspirational.

He warned that past regional efforts such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme failed because member states did not implement commitments consistently. AfCFTA, he said, must not repeat that history.

The CG disclosed that 30 African Customs administrations have registered for the summit—22 at the Director-General level—with strong representation from all five regions of the continent. For the first time, the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation is attending a Customs conference hosted by Nigeria.

Adeniyi added that Nigeria’s export volume has risen by over 30 per cent in two years, with a renewed focus on redirecting a larger share of that trade into African markets “where the opportunities and continental impact are greater.”

Finance, Trade Ministers Highlight Importance of Customs Reforms

Representing the Finance Minister, Dr Wale Edun, Minister of State for Finance Doris Anite said Customs reforms are critical to Nigeria’s fiscal transformation and its competitiveness in global markets. She emphasised ongoing government support for complete digitisation, stronger risk management systems and alignment with global standards.

Minister of Trade, Investment and Industry, Jumoke Oduwole, described AfCFTA as Africa’s most important economic instrument but warned that outdated systems and structural delays continue to undermine its success. She outlined ongoing reforms including updated tariff concession schedules and new export air-cargo corridors to East and Southern Africa.

WCO Secretary-General Ian Saunders said Africa’s economic rebound in 2025 depends heavily on Customs efficiency. Quoting a WCO maxim—“Borders divide; Customs connects”—he praised C-PACT for aligning with global Customs modernisation efforts.

AfreximBank’s Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade, Kanayo Awani, said the bank is supporting Customs capacity through transit-bond guarantees, digital cargo-tracking tools, and the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund to cushion tariff revenue losses.

AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene said the implementation of the agreement’s annexes—Customs cooperation, trade facilitation and transit—requires strong Customs leadership at every step. He commended Nigeria’s leadership, noting that Africa relies on Customs to turn trade promises into real border outcomes that reduce costs, speed up clearance and strengthen market access for African goods.

The three-day C-PACT Summit continues with private-sector sessions aimed at identifying persistent trade barriers, cargo delays, and inconsistencies in the application of AfCFTA rules across African borders.