Nigeria Customs, Netherlands Strengthen Bilateral Ties on Trade Facilitation and Compliance Management
Rotterdam, Netherlands – In a major step toward enhancing cross-border trade efficiency and Customs modernisation, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, led a high-level delegation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on a two-day bilateral working visit to the Netherlands, focused on deepening collaboration in trade facilitation, port operations, and compliance management.
The visit, held between October 29 and 31, 2025, featured a series of technical sessions, strategic meetings, and institutional briefings with top Dutch officials and Customs experts. It marked a significant stride in strengthening Nigeria’s engagement with international partners on trade policy and operational reforms.
The mission began at the Netherlands Customs Headquarters, Laan op Zuid, Rotterdam, where the Nigerian delegation was received by senior officials of the Netherlands Customs Administration. A presentation by the National Tariff Classification Team (TeamLTT), led by Ed Tulp, detailed the Dutch system’s approach to Tariff and Origin procedures, while another session on Risk Management, led by Dennis van der Wolk of the Customs National Tactical Centre (DLTC), showcased best practices in risk profiling, cargo monitoring, and tactical decision-making.
Addressing participants, CGC Adeniyi commended the Dutch for their structured and data-driven systems, describing the engagements as insightful.
“The presentations have been particularly enlightening in showing how systematic collaboration and data analysis can enhance compliance and trade facilitation across borders,” he said.
“The Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to adopting international best practices that balance enforcement with facilitation, ensuring legitimate trade thrives while safeguarding revenue and national security.”
The delegation also met with the Head of International Affairs at the Netherlands Customs to discuss capacity-building programmes, inter-agency coordination, and digital trade systems.
Subsequently, the NCS team visited Schiphol Airport, where Schiphol Cargo officials presented the airport’s highly automated cargo clearance and classification systems. Speaking at the session, Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) Caroline Niagwan, who heads the Tariff and Trade Department, said:
“The insights gained here will be instrumental in improving Nigeria’s cargo handling processes, especially as we continue our Customs modernisation drive.”
Further engagements were held at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted by Mr. Machiel Zweers, Director-General of International Trade. Discussions focused on technical assistance, institutional cooperation, and formalising frameworks for long-term collaboration.
Zweers described the visit as “a new chapter of institutional partnership built on trust and innovation,” reaffirming the Netherlands’ commitment to strengthening Customs-to-Customs cooperation with Nigeria.
The delegation also held a concluding meeting at the Netherlands Ministry of Finance, where both sides reviewed key findings and explored opportunities for collaboration in tariff classification, risk management, trade facilitation, and gender equity.
The working visit concluded with a guided tour of the Port of Rotterdam (Portlandis) — one of the world’s busiest maritime hubs. The NCS team was briefed on the port’s integrated logistics operations, automated cargo tracking systems, and intermodal transport network.
In his closing remarks, CGC Adeniyi described the tour as “an eye-opener” on how synergy between Customs and port authorities can enhance seamless trade and revenue optimisation.
“This engagement has given us a clearer picture of how modern Customs administrations can achieve efficiency through partnership, technology, and shared expertise,” he noted.
DCG Niagwan added that the Dutch model demonstrates that “inclusivity, data intelligence, and inter-agency trust are indispensable elements of an effective Customs system.”
The delegation included DCG Caroline Niagwan, Deputy Comptroller Etim Ibok (Special Assistant to the CGC), Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada (National Public Relations Officer), and Assistant Comptroller Lauretta Utubor (Team Lead, Nigeria’s Advance Ruling System), among others.
The bilateral engagement, anchored on mutual learning and institutional cooperation, underscores the NCS’s renewed commitment to reforming its processes and aligning with global trade facilitation standards under the leadership of CGC Adewale Adeniyi.
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