Customs FOU Zone ‘A’ Ag. Controller, DC Afeni, Engages Maritime Stakeholders to Boost Trade Facilitation
The Acting Controller of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, has held an engagement with maritime stakeholders along the South-West trade corridor to strengthen collaboration, enhance trade facilitation, and foster a more efficient business environment.
According to a statement issued by the Unit’s spokesperson, CSC Hussaini Abdullahi, the meeting took place at the Unit’s conference hall on Friday, October 2, 2026. It provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss with the Acting Controller and his management team the challenges affecting the seamless movement of legitimate trade and the effective execution of Customs responsibilities along the maritime corridor.
Speaking at the meeting, DC Afeni underscored the need for sustained cooperation and constructive dialogue between the Nigeria Customs Service and maritime stakeholders. He reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade while ensuring strict compliance with applicable Customs laws and regulations.
He urged stakeholders to maintain accuracy, honesty, and transparency in their declarations, noting that voluntary compliance would help minimise clearance delays, prevent disputes, and eliminate avoidable bottlenecks in the trade process.
The Acting Controller further stressed that successful trade facilitation depends on the collective responsibility of all participants in the supply chain. He assured stakeholders that the Unit remained open to addressing genuine concerns, resolving operational challenges within its jurisdiction, and maintaining a cordial and professional relationship with the maritime community.
In their response, the stakeholders commended DC Afeni for providing an opportunity for meaningful interaction and dialogue. They expressed their willingness to deepen collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service to promote compliance, transparency, and the smooth flow of legitimate trade.
The engagement represents a significant step towards strengthening stakeholder relations, improving revenue assurance, encouraging accurate declarations, and advancing the Federal Government’s ease-of-doing-business initiative. At the same time, it reinforces the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to its statutory responsibility of combating smuggling and other forms of cross-border economic crime.
