Nigeria, Ghana Customs Deepen Cooperation to Tackle Illicit Trade, Advance AfCFTA Goals
Kathy Kyari
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s (NCS) commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in the fight against illicit trade and in advancing regional economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Adeniyi made this known on Monday, November 3, 2025, during a high-level visit to the Commissioner-General of the GRA Customs Division, Brigadier - General Glover Annan, at the Authority’s Headquarters in Accra, Ghana.
Both agencies underscored the importance of intelligence sharing, harmonised border procedures, and joint enforcement strategies as critical tools to combat transnational crimes and facilitate legitimate trade between Nigeria and Ghana.
Welcoming the Nigerian delegation, Brig.-Gen. Annan praised the NCS for inspiring reforms and innovation in Ghana’s Customs operations and expressed readiness to strengthen operational ties between the two nations.
"Our nations are united not just by history and culture but also by a shared vision to strengthen customs operations. The Nigeria Customs Service has continued to inspire our reforms and innovation in Ghana, and we see great opportunities in renewing our collaboration,” Brig.-Gen. Annan said.
He commended the NCS for championing the Customs-Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) initiative, developed with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and supported by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
He noted that the upcoming C-PACT Conference, scheduled for November 17–19, 2025, in Abuja, will provide a continental platform for Customs administrations to strengthen transparency, lawful trade, and sustainable growth.
In his remarks, CGC Adeniyi warned that criminal networks were exploiting operational gaps between Customs administrations across Africa to facilitate smuggling and other illicit trade activities.
“We must bridge the gaps between our administrations because these are the same weaknesses that transnational criminals exploit. The more we work together, exchanging intelligence and building capacity, the stronger we will be against these syndicates,” Adeniyi said.
He recalled that Nigeria and Ghana had signed a memorandum of understanding on Customs cooperation in 2001, and proposed a review to reflect modern realities and AfCFTA priorities.
“It would be my wish that we take a second look at that agreement and breathe new life into it. We can identify new areas of collaboration that align with today’s challenges and the future we envision for African trade,” he added.
Adeniyi also revealed that his visit aimed to seek Ghana’s support for the forthcoming C-PACT Conference and to explore joint strategies to boost intra-African trade.
"Our mission is to strengthen the role of Customs as a major promoter of AfCFTA. We want to increase the volume of trade within Africa and ensure that trade becomes a true driver of growth and prosperity for our people,” he said.
The engagement between the NCS and the GRA Customs Division is expected to lay the foundation for a renewed bilateral framework focusing on intelligence-led enforcement, coordinated border management, and trade modernisation across West Africa.
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