CGC Adeniyi Briefs Media on First-Ever C-PACT Conference at Presidential Villa
Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Friday, 14 November 2025, addressed journalists at the State House Press Pool in Abuja, where he highlighted Nigeria’s strengthened commitment to advancing continental trade integration and accelerating Customs-driven reforms ahead of the inaugural Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Conference slated for 17–19 November 2025 in Abuja.
Speaking under the State House “Meet the Press” platform, the CGC revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent approval of an extension of his tenure came with clear targets centred on trade facilitation, easing port congestion, and modernising Nigeria’s border management systems.
He noted that the President’s new policy direction marks a deliberate push to harness trade as a catalyst for economic growth, adding that the administration aims to position Nigeria as a key hub for intra-African trade.
“Mr President has clearly stated his intention to use trade to drive economic growth and reduce poverty. So it did not come as a surprise that implementing the continental free trade agreement was highlighted in my renewed mandate,” he said.
Adeniyi explained that since receiving this directive, he has expanded high-level engagements with Customs leaders across the continent, including a recent strategic meeting in Ghana with the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He emphasized the need for stronger involvement of Customs administrations in executing the free trade framework, insisting that meaningful integration is impossible without Customs playing a central role.
“For years, regional trade agreements faced setbacks because Customs was not engaged early enough. I have stressed repeatedly that for AfCFTA to succeed, Customs must enforce rules of origin, apply trade preferences, and ensure goods legitimately qualify for the agreement’s benefits,” he added.
The CGC said the upcoming C-PACT Summit, which Nigeria will host from 17–19 November in Abuja, is a major step toward addressing longstanding gaps and creating a direct platform for engagement among African Customs authorities, policymakers, and private-sector actors.
He announced that over 30 Customs administrations have registered for the event, with 22 of them headed by Directors-General, noting that the strong turnout from the private sector is particularly encouraging.
Adeniyi also confirmed that Nigeria will host the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Ian Sanders, for the first time during the conference — a development he described as evidence of Nigeria’s growing leadership in continental trade diplomacy.
He highlighted Nigeria’s rising export performance, reporting a growth of more than 30 percent over the past two years, but noted that the next step is to channel more of this trade to African markets.
The CGC acknowledged strong collaboration from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, AFREXIMBANK, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, port authorities, and other trade-related agencies, saying their coordinated efforts have created “a historic opportunity” for Nigeria to assert its leadership in Africa’s economic transformation.
Adeniyi urged the State House Press to help increase public awareness ahead of the Abuja summit, adding that the first day of the event will feature direct engagement with private-sector players from across the continent to identify the persistent obstacles hindering the movement of goods within Africa.
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