By Yusuf Issa An-Nuphawi
The National Coordinator, Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Olusegun Awolowo, has reiterated the pivotal role of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement as the Designated Competent Authority (DCA) for Nigeria, charged with the responsibility of issuing AfCFTA certificate of Origin.
Awolowo made this known on Thursday at a workshop organised for the port comptrollers from various NCS command posts held in Abuja.
The National Coordinator, added that the workshop was timely for the NCS comptrollers who are the watchdog at the country’s trade exit points, underscoring their importance in achieving seamless facilitation of trade under the AfCFTA.
He said: “We’re working actively with all stakeholders, particularly our Nigerian Customs Service, which serves as the Designated Competent Authority for Nigeria. The notion behind today’s workshop is to bring to the fore the critical role of our trade exit points, the indispensable function of our port comptrollers, and importance of various customs command posts under the AfCFTA.”
“These workshop is pivotal in ensuring that the seamless facilitation of trade envisioned by the AfCFTA is not just a policy paper but a lived reality for business across Nigeria,” Awolowo said.
From Right: Prof. Muhammad Tawfiq Ladan, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, National Coordinator, Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mr. Olusegun Olutayo, Trade Expert/Lead Trade Enablement at the workshop for Comptrollers from command posts on Thursday 17th October, 2024
He noted that trading of products in large volumes under the AfCFTA regime requires that the DCA, port comptrollers, and customs offers at various commands posts are ready to support and facilitate transactions.
Restating Nigeria’s commitment to the implementation of the AfCFTA, the National Coordinator said the outstanding success of the flag-off of shipment under the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) is a testament to the strong collaboration with critical stakeholders such as NCS.
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According to Awolowo, some Nigerian companies have been blazing the trail under the GTI, adding that their success stories echo the vast potential of the intra-African trade agreement with potential for expanding markets and securing high-value trade deals across borders.
National coordinator. AfCFTA Nigeria and Some participants at the workshop
He further commended the NCS for dedication and professionalism towards ensuring that Nigeria maintains a competitive edge in trade facilitation.
In his remarks, Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, Barshir Adewale Adiniyi, noted that Nigeria is ready for trade under the AfCFTA, adding that NSC would provided necessary support to ensure seamless export under the agreement.
The Comptroller General, who said the NCS has the infrastructure and manpower for the implementation of the agreement, furthered assured the stakeholders of continuous collaborations towards ensuring that Nigerian businesses benefit from the AfCFTA especially with the establishment of the Export Command.
The representative of the Comptroller General, C.K. Niagwan Deputy Comptroller General Trade and Tariff, commended the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office for collaborating with NCS to organise the important workshop.
In his special remark, Prof. Muhammad Tawfiq Ladan, told the participants that trade facilitation requires transparency, simplification, harmonization, and standardization of Customs law, procedures and requirements.
Prof. Ladan urged the Customs to utilize the principles of trade facilitation in order to ensure that trade supply chains are unhindered, adding that this will make the NCS become more efficient and effective in their mandate under the AfCFTA and other treaties.
