NCS Targets Connected Borders, Seamless African Trade at C-PACT 2026
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will host two major conferences in Abuja in December to strengthen border security, improve trade facilitation and advance economic integration across Africa.
The conferences, scheduled for December 7–11, 2026, will bring together Customs administrations, government officials, trade stakeholders and international partners to explore digital solutions, coordinated border management and seamless movement of goods across the continent.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the NCS National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Conference will hold from December 7 to 8, while the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) 2026 Conference is scheduled for December 9 to 11.
The CGC Conference, themed “Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities,” will review the Service’s modernisation efforts, assess progress on previous commitments and examine the relationship between effective Customs administration, national security and trade facilitation.
C-PACT 2026, with the theme “One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts,” will extend the discussions to the continental level, focusing on practical measures to improve cooperation among African Customs administrations and connect border management systems digitally.
The CGC Conference will feature discussions on digital Customs operations, trusted trade corridors, seamless payments, intelligence-led enforcement and partnerships to address emerging border threats.
Participants will also review commitments made in 2025 and achievements recorded in 2026, alongside presentations on Customs modernisation and the presentation of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates.
The programme will further examine how to measure the impact of ongoing reforms on trade and revenue generation, as well as strengthen professional standards and public trust in border management.
Stakeholders expected to participate include AEO beneficiaries, the National Single Window Secretariat, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), excise-sector representatives and other relevant institutions.
The second day of the CGC Conference will focus on coordinated responses to emerging border threats, with participation from 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.
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The discussions are expected to strengthen inter-agency collaboration in addressing security risks while ensuring that legitimate commercial activities are not unnecessarily disrupted.
Building on the national conference, C-PACT 2026 will provide a platform for African Customs administrations, policymakers, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Regional Economic Communities, border management agencies, development partners, technology providers and private-sector representatives to develop practical solutions to persistent trade barriers.
These challenges include fragmented border procedures, duplicated inspections, limited information exchange, incompatible digital systems and inadequate coordination among agencies operating at border crossings.
The conference will explore how One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), supported by interconnected Customs platforms, harmonised procedures, coordinated risk management and secure information exchange, can reduce delays, lower trade costs and improve the movement of goods along African trade corridors.
Its programme will feature high-level policy discussions, technical sessions on connected borders, presentations on operational experiences from existing and emerging OSBPs, 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.
The initiatives are intended to support more efficient transit procedures, reduce administrative barriers and improve coordination in the movement of goods across participating African countries.
According to the statement, C-PACT 2026 is expected to produce practical recommendations, identify priority technology and investment opportunities, strengthen institutional partnerships and develop an implementation-oriented roadmap for interconnected, digitally enabled border systems across Africa.
The NCS said the conferences reflected its commitment, under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to strengthening cooperation with national institutions, regional partners and international stakeholders.
It added that the meetings would reinforce accountability for ongoing reforms while advancing solutions that connect border security with trade facilitation, technological innovation and safer communities.
The Service expressed the expectation that the outcomes would improve Customs operations, deepen regional cooperation and support the AfCFTA’s objective of building a more integrated, competitive and prosperous African market.
By PRNigeria
