The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will step up efforts to strengthen national security and streamline trade processes through enhanced collaboration with international partners.
This strategic move underscores NCS's commitment to strengthening border security and promoting better trade facilitation by leveraging global expertise and collaborative efforts.
Recently, the Comptroller General of Customs, Nigeria Customs Command and Officers College, Gwagwalada, Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, announced the commencement of a five-day workshop on ‘Rules of Origin’.
The workshop, co-organized by the Trade Facilitation Alliance, GIZ and the World Customs Organization (WCO), aims to increase staff expertise in trade facilitation.
The CGC, represented by DCG Deputy Accountant-General Abdullahi Musa, welcomed the WCO experts to Nigeria and underlined the importance of their visit in preparing the African Continental Free Trade Area.
In the opening session, Mr. Musa highlighted CGC's commitment to working with development partners to build capacity.
He emphasized the importance of the workshop in strengthening the Nigeria Customs Service, noting its role as the competent authority for issuing certificates of origin.
“Over the next five days, 25 staff will undergo intensive training on rules of origin,” Musa said while announcing the workshop on behalf of the Auditor General.
WCO Chief Origin Expert Mette Azzam said the workshop could lead to cooperation between customs authorities, WCO and GIZ.
Mr. Azzam emphasized the global importance of knowledge on rules of origin, especially with the proliferation of free trade agreements. She warned that incorrect valuation of goods could lead to unexpected customs duties payments.
Ibrahim Alfa, Assistant Auditor General (ACG), emphasized the importance of the workshop in increasing the efficiency of services in revenue generation.
Participants were urged to pay attention to the teachings, highlighting the relevance of correctly determining the preferential value to avoid paying incorrect customs duties.
The five-day workshop aimed to empower 25 officials through intensive training, discussion and assessment on rules of origin and is in line with Nigeria Customs' collaboration with international partners.
The objective is to strengthen staff expertise and contribute to the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
