Customs to Host CGC Conference, C-PACT 2026 to Strengthen Border Security, Trade
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will host two major conferences in Abuja in December to strengthen border security, accelerate trade facilitation and advance economic integration across Africa.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Conference is scheduled for December 7–8, 2026, while the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) 2026 Conference will hold from December 9–11.
According to a press release issued on Sunday by the NCS National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, the conferences will bring together government officials, Customs administrations, security agencies, trade stakeholders and international partners to explore practical solutions to border management challenges.
The CGC Conference, themed “Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities,” will assess the Service’s modernisation efforts, review previous commitments and examine the relationship between effective Customs administration, national security and trade facilitation.
Its discussions will focus on digital Customs operations, trusted trade corridors, seamless payments, intelligence-led enforcement, inter-agency cooperation and emerging threats along Nigeria’s borders.
The conference will also review commitments made in 2025 and achievements recorded in 2026, alongside presentations on Customs modernisation, the presentation of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates and assessments of the impact of reforms on trade and revenue generation.
The NCS said the event would provide stakeholders, including AEO beneficiaries, the National Single Window Secretariat, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and excise-sector representatives, with an opportunity to evaluate ongoing reforms and identify areas requiring further improvement.
The second day will focus on coordinated responses to interconnected border threats, with participation from relevant security and enforcement institutions, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, the NCS, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
The discussions are expected to address intelligence sharing, operational coordination and collaborative approaches to tackling threats that undermine national security and legitimate trade.
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Building on the national conference, C-PACT 2026 will expand the conversation to the continental level under the theme “One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts.”
The conference will bring together Customs administrations, policymakers, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Regional Economic Communities, border management agencies, development partners, technology providers and private-sector stakeholders.
Its central focus will be improving cross-border trade through coordinated border management, digital connectivity and the adoption of One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs).
The NCS said African trade continues to face challenges associated with fragmented procedures, duplicated controls, limited information exchange, incompatible digital systems and inadequate coordination among border agencies.
C-PACT 2026 will examine how interconnected Customs platforms, harmonised procedures, coordinated risk management and secure information-sharing systems can reduce border delays, lower trade costs and improve the movement of goods across African trade corridors.
The programme will feature high-level policy dialogues, technical sessions, presentations on operational experiences from existing and emerging One-Stop Border Posts, technology demonstrations and discussions on public-private partnerships for financing and delivering modern border infrastructure.
Participants will also examine the implementation of key AfCFTA initiatives, including the AfCFTA Integrated Transit System, the Single Bond Guarantee Scheme and the Electronic Certificate of Origin system.
According to the Service, the conference is expected to produce practical recommendations, identify priority investment and technology opportunities, strengthen institutional partnerships and develop an implementation-focused roadmap for interconnected, digitally enabled border systems across Africa.
The NCS, under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the conferences reflected its commitment to accountability in ongoing reforms and stronger collaboration with national institutions, regional partners and international stakeholders.
The Service expects the outcomes to strengthen Customs operations, improve regional cooperation and support the AfCFTA’s objective of building a more integrated, competitive and prosperous African market.
By PRNigeria
