The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has pledged the Nigeria Customs Service’s full support for the South-South Development Commission, saying the new body could drive regional economic growth through strategic collaboration with Customs.
The CGC made this disclosure during a courtesy visit by the Commission’s Managing Director, Usoro Akpabio, and her team to the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
Adeniyi congratulated Akpabio on her appointment and noted that the 2023 Customs Act had introduced far-reaching reforms that required broad consultations.
Adeniyi suggested the creation of a joint working team to serve as a sounding board for partnership, especially in areas such as trade facilitation, border management, and economic integration.
He emphasized the importance of keeping conversations open to ensure inclusivity and shared growth.
The CGC highlighted the Nigeria Customs Service’s recent launch of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, designed to give back to host communities through projects that promote education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.
The Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission, Usoro Akpabio, commended the reforms and modernization efforts undertaken by Customs, describing them as exemplary.
She emphasized the importance of Customs in the region’s economic blueprint and assured that the Commission would pursue a strategic alliance with the Service that would promote transparency, regional growth, and national development.
The Commission’s mandate covers the blue economy, agriculture, human capital development, infrastructure, and utilities across the entire South-South region.
Akpabio said the partnership would outlive her tenure and contribute to the region’s economic growth and development.
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