Customs, South-South Commission Target Trade, Blue Economy Expansion
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Nigeria Customs Service has pledged to work hand-in-hand with the newly established South-South Development Commission in a bid to stimulate growth and deepen economic opportunities in the oil-rich region.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the commitment on Thursday when the Commission’s Managing Director, Usoro Akpabio, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Customs headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Adeniyi, who congratulated Akpabio on her appointment, said the 2023 Customs Act had introduced sweeping reforms that demanded broad consultations and partnerships.
He assured that Customs would sustain open dialogue with the Commission to ensure inclusivity and shared prosperity.
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The Customs boss also suggested the creation of a joint working team to serve as a platform for collaboration in trade facilitation, border management and economic integration, noting that both institutions must reconvene soon to broaden stakeholder engagement.
He further pointed to the Service’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme—launched recently to support education, healthcare and infrastructure in host communities—as evidence of Customs’ commitment to inclusive growth.
In her response, Akpabio commended Customs’ reform efforts, describing them as exemplary.
She explained that though barely three weeks old, the Commission had been handed a sweeping mandate covering the blue economy, agriculture, infrastructure, utilities and human capital development across the South-South region.
The MD stressed the central role of Customs in the region’s economic blueprint, given its substantial footprint in seaports, free trade zones, oil and gas operations and border activities.
“We will pursue a strategic alliance with Customs that outlives our tenure—one that promotes transparency, drives regional growth and contributes to national development,” she said.
Both sides agreed that sustained cooperation could serve as a catalyst for regional stability and economic transformation.
