By Ayomide Otitoju
The Nigeria Customs Service has reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating trade and supporting Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) through simplified and transparent customs procedures.
The statement followed a strategic engagement on Monday in Abuja with a delegation from the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, aimed at advancing the implementation of the Simplified Trade Regime (STR) to boost small-scale cross-border trade.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, said the agency’s goal is to make trade “easier, more transparent, and inclusive for small-scale traders, while ensuring compliance with national and regional trade regulations.”
Pedro Estevao, leader of the AfCFTA delegation, highlighted Nigeria’s role as the pilot country for the STR in West Africa, noting that its status as the region’s largest market provides a strategic advantage in driving inclusive trade and regional economic growth.
AfCFTA consultant Nabil Zibani presented the continental STR framework, stressing the need to enable MSMEs to comply with customs procedures through simplified, transparent, and accessible systems.
The discussions identified key areas of alignment between Nigeria Customs’ draft standard operating procedure and the AfCFTA framework. These include simplifying documentation and procedures, leveraging digital platforms for declarations and clearance, adopting de minimis thresholds for low-value trade, and promoting inclusive trade, particularly for women and MSMEs.
Both parties agreed on continued technical engagement to refine implementation strategies, address operational challenges, and ensure coordination between national and continental frameworks.
The Nigeria Customs Service also presented its draft SOP for implementing the STR domestically, covering informal cross-border trade, passenger baggage, and low-value e-commerce transactions, supported by digital declaration systems and risk-based controls.
The engagement underscores Nigeria’s leadership role in regional trade integration and reinforces the Customs Service’s commitment to supporting legitimate trade, economic inclusion, and growth across the region.
