Adeniyi Unveils Nigeria’s Bold Push for Africa-Wide Trade Integration Ahead of C-PACT Summit
Kathy Kyari
Nigeria is positioning itself as a driving force in Africa’s trade integration agenda, with Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi announcing renewed reforms and diplomatic engagements ahead of the inaugural Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Conference set for 17th –19th November in Abuja.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Friday, 14 November 2025, briefed journalists at the State House Press Pool in Abuja, where he outlined Nigeria’s intensified commitment to strengthening Customs-led reforms and accelerating continental trade integration.
Speaking under the State House “Meet the Press” platform, Adeniyi said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent approval of an extension of his mandate comes with specific performance targets focused on trade facilitation, port decongestion and modernisation of Nigeria’s cross-border systems.
He explained that the President’s directives signal a strategic shift towards deploying trade as a catalyst for broad-based economic expansion, noting that the administration is determined to position Nigeria as a central hub for intra-African commerce.
“Mr President has made it very clear that he intends to use trade to promote economic development and alleviate poverty. So I was not surprised that the implementation of the continental free trade agreement was specifically mentioned in my renewed mandate,” he said.
The CGC revealed that he has since intensified diplomatic engagements across the continent, including a recent strategic meeting in Ghana with the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). According to him, Customs must take a central role in enforcing trade rules for the free trade regime to work.
“For many years, regional trade arrangements struggled because Customs was not brought in early enough. I have made this point repeatedly: if we must achieve the objectives of AfCFTA, Customs must play its role in enforcing rules of origin, applying preferences, and ensuring that goods genuinely enjoy the benefits of the agreement,” he added.
Adeniyi described the forthcoming C-PACT Summit, to be hosted in Abuja from 17 to 19 November, as a critical step in bridging past gaps and establishing direct engagement among African Customs administrations, policymakers and private-sector operators. More than 30 Customs administrations have registered for the event, with 22 led by Directors-General—an indication he said reflects deepening continental interest.
He also confirmed that Nigeria will, for the first time, host the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Ian Sanders, during the conference, describing the development as a strong affirmation of Nigeria’s growing influence in regional trade diplomacy.
Highlighting Nigeria’s improving export performance, Adeniyi noted that export volumes have grown by more than 30 per cent over the past two years, though he stressed the need to channel more of this growth toward African markets.
The CGC acknowledged strong backing from key government ministries, AFREXIMBANK, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, port authorities and other trade-related agencies, describing their alignment as “a historic window” for Nigeria to assert leadership in Africa’s economic transformation.
Adeniyi called on the State House Press to help raise awareness ahead of the summit, revealing that the opening day will feature direct conversations with private-sector operators from across Africa to identify the persistent barriers they face in moving goods across the continent.
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