President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged African nations to dismantle inefficient borders, modernise their customs systems, and commit to a unified trade architecture to reshape the continent’s economic future.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu emphasised that Africa’s prosperity depends on deliberate reforms that convert its large market and population into a functional economic bloc.
The Vice President made this call at the maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Summit in Abuja.
He stressed that every country must demonstrate political will, institutional alignment, and readiness to deploy technology that simplifies trade. According to him, integration cannot be declared; it must be engineered.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, highlighted the importance of Customs in driving the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation.
He noted that Nigeria’s Customs Service has intensified engagement with Customs administrations across Africa to ensure proper integration into AfCFTA structures.
Adeniyi also commended AfreximBank, the AfCFTA Secretariat, and other agencies for aligning with the Customs Service to deepen trade facilitation.
The World Customs Organisation Secretary-General, Ian Saunders, emphasised that Africa’s economic forecast for 2025 shows strong growth, but the continent’s ability to harness that potential depends heavily on Customs efficiency.
He stated that the C-PACT aligns closely with the WCO’s mission to support Customs administrations globally through standards, capacity building, and operational guidance.
The Minister of State for Finance, Doris Anite, noted that customs reforms are central to Nigeria’s fiscal transformation, while the Minister of Trade, Investment and Industry, Jumoke Oduwole, warned that structural delays and outdated systems still hinder the impact of AfCFTA.
The AfreximBank’s Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade, Kanayo Awani, highlighted the bank’s support for Customs modernization across Africa, including transit-bond guarantees, digital tracking systems, and the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund.
The summit aims to address long-standing trade barriers and promote economic integration.
With 30 African Customs administrations participating, including 22 represented at the Director-General level, the conference will focus on finding solutions to challenges faced by traders, including non-tariff barriers, cargo delays, and inconsistent implementation of trade preferences.
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