Nigeria Ends First-Ever C-PACT Summit as African Customs Chiefs Unite to Tackle Trade Barriers

Nigeria Ends First-Ever C-PACT Summit as African Customs Chiefs Unite to Tackle Trade Barriers

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has rounded off its maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Summit, a three-day continental engagement aimed at deepening collaboration among African Customs administrations and accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The summit, which ended on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, brought together Customs heads, policy specialists, and private-sector operators from across Africa to address long-standing non-tariff barriers and chart a new course for harmonised cross-border trade procedures.

In his closing remarks, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the summit as a turning point, stating that Africa now has “a credible platform to move from fragmented efforts to collective solutions.” He added that resolutions from the meeting would guide Customs administrations in strengthening border processes, enhancing compliance, and reducing obstacles that impede intra-African trade.

Adeniyi further noted that the Nigeria-led C-PACT framework will serve as “a working mechanism for African Customs administrations to engage regularly, share operational experiences and harmonise procedures in support of AfCFTA.”

The summit earlier featured a goodwill message from Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu and urged African nations to dismantle systemic barriers to trade and adopt a unified framework that supports industrial growth and cross-border competitiveness.

Similarly, the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation, Ian Saunders, highlighted the pivotal role of Customs in driving AfCFTA’s success, while Afreximbank Executive Vice President, Kanayo Awani, warned that without modernised and interoperable systems, the continent risked losing the full economic value of the free trade agreement.

Delegates at the closing session applauded the depth of technical discussions on rules of origin, transit regimes, risk management, digital documentation, gender inclusion, and coordinated border management. They endorsed the continuation of C-PACT as a technical platform for monitoring progress and aligning national systems with emerging continental standards.

Private-sector representatives—ranging from freight operators to manufacturers and exporters—also made submissions, highlighting operational bottlenecks such as delays, inconsistent requirements, and documentation gaps that hinder smooth trade.

The National President of the Association of Licensed Customs Agents, Emenike Kingsley, said the summit offered a rare opportunity for Customs leaders and economic operators to jointly address practical challenges affecting intra-African commerce.

The NCS says it is optimistic that outcomes from the maiden summit will strengthen continental trade integration and reposition Africa for greater competitiveness under AfCFTA.