Nigeria, Netherlands Strengthen Customs Cooperation on Trade Facilitation, Border Security
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Customs Administration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have signed a Joint Declaration aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade facilitation, border security, intelligence sharing, capacity building, and the fight against transnational organised crime.
The declaration was signed on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in Brussels by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the Director-General of Netherlands Customs, Mrs. Nanette Van Schelven. The agreement marks the culmination of a series of high-level engagements between the two Customs administrations focused on advancing customs modernisation, compliance management, enforcement cooperation, and intelligence exchange.
The partnership builds on the NCS’s bilateral working visit to the Netherlands in October 2025, followed by a reciprocal visit by a Netherlands Customs delegation to Nigeria in March 2026. During these engagements, both administrations identified key areas for collaboration, including risk management, cargo clearance systems, trade facilitation, border control, supply chain security, capacity development, and the fight against illicit trade.
In the Joint Declaration, both parties recognised Nigeria’s strategic role as one of West Africa’s largest economies and an important trading partner of the Netherlands. They affirmed that stronger customs cooperation and institutional capacity building are essential to facilitating legitimate trade while effectively combating cross-border criminal activities.
The declaration also highlighted the growing threat posed by the trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, counterfeit products, wildlife contraband, and illegal weapons, stressing the need for coordinated international action to address these challenges.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Comptroller-General Adeniyi said the partnership underscores the importance of international cooperation in responding to emerging trade and border management challenges. According to him, the collaboration will enhance intelligence sharing, strengthen capacity development, improve enforcement operations, and support joint efforts to secure global supply chains while promoting legitimate trade.
He described the agreement as a significant milestone in the Nigeria Customs Service’s international cooperation agenda and a reflection of the strong relationship both Customs administrations have cultivated over the years.
In her remarks, the Director-General of Netherlands Customs, Mrs. Nanette Van Schelven, noted that both administrations face similar challenges in an increasingly interconnected global trading environment. She said closer collaboration would encourage mutual learning, strengthen operational capacity, improve the fight against transnational organised crime, and support more efficient and transparent trade processes.
Under the declaration, both Customs administrations committed to expanding cooperation through the exchange of expertise, training programmes, knowledge sharing, and the establishment of structured cooperation frameworks. The agreement also provides a foundation for developing a joint work plan and future cooperation mechanisms aimed at improving border efficiency, strengthening supply chain security, promoting fair trade practices, and addressing the challenges associated with both legitimate and illicit cross-border movement of goods.
