Customs, Gambia Revenue Authority Seal AEO Collaboration
The Nigeria Customs Service on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, received a delegation from the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) in Abuja for a three-day technical visit aimed at strengthening cooperation on the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme and broader trade facilitation.
Welcoming the team on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, described the visit as a valuable peer-learning opportunity that reflects growing regional confidence in Nigeria’s reforms.
She noted that Nigeria’s AEO programme, launched less than a year ago, had already attracted interest across West Africa, particularly following recommendations from the World Customs Organization.
DCG Niagwan told the visitors that the Service was fully committed to creating a predictable, technology-driven and rules-based trading environment, and stressed the need for Customs administrations in Africa to work together in line with ECOWAS and AfCFTA commitments.
According to her, trade facilitation requires partnerships, joint capacity-building and a willingness to learn from one another. She said Nigeria welcomed Gambia’s interest and looked forward to learning from its own experiences.
She assured the delegation of the Service’s readiness to deepen cross-border cooperation, strengthen customs-to-customs relationships and support practical measures that make trade easier for businesses across the region.
The visit follows the successful hosting of the maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade Summit in Abuja, which positioned Nigeria as a leading voice in Customs modernisation and inter-agency collaboration on the continent.
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Earlier, the team lead of the Gambian delegation and Manager, Trade Facilitation and International Cooperation at the GRA, Omar Bojang, said the mission was designed to study Nigeria’s AEO framework, review its early implementation and exchange ideas on emerging global standards.
He described the relationship between both institutions as long-standing and cordial, noting that Gambia had previously hosted Nigerian officers on training programmes.
He said the team sought to benchmark Nigeria’s best practices, adding that trade facilitation was not only a national responsibility but an obligation under ECOWAS, AfCFTA, WCO and WTO frameworks.
Bojang explained that Gambia was among the first 25 countries to ratify the AfCFTA and remained committed to implementing measures that would ease trade across the continent. He added that with the challenges at Gambian borders, initiatives like those in Nigeria would help reduce delays and barriers for traders.
The AEO Team Lead for the Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller Nnena Awa, said the visit was a strong validation of the Service’s efforts, noting that Nigeria had become the first West African country to fully implement the AEO scheme.
She explained that the Service had incorporated lessons from last year’s AEO conference in South Africa and from WCO technical support missions, which refined the programme’s standard operating procedures.
She added that the early interest from other countries showed the Service was on the right path and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sustaining progress.
The Gambian delegation has since engaged in technical sessions and tours with Nigeria’s AEO and Trade Facilitation teams, visiting selected operational units to review implementation processes. The visit concludes on Thursday, 27 November 2025.
