Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the American Business Council (ABC) have reinforced their commitment to fostering stronger trade relations and resolving operational challenges affecting businesses through sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors.

This commitment was reaffirmed during a quarterly stakeholder engagement held on  June 16th, 2026 at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja,where both parties deliberated on measures to enhance trade facilitation,strengthen supply chain security, and deepen economic cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.

Addressing participants at the meeting, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, underscored the value of continuous stakeholder engagement, describing it as a critical driver of effective policy implementation and improved service delivery.

He disclosed that the engagement would be institutionalised as a regular feature of the Service’s operational calendar.

“It is our intention to institutionalize this engagement as a permanent feature of the Customs calendar because of the importance we attach to this kind of interaction,” Adeniyi stated.

The CGC also provided updates on several key trade facilitation initiatives being implemented by the Service, including the Advance Ruling System, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, Post Clearance Audit mechanisms, the B’Odogwu platform,as well as ongoing enhancements in scanning integration and cargo clearance processes designed to improve efficiency, transparency, and compliance.

Representatives of the American Business Council commended the reforms introduced by the Service and acknowledged the positive impact of the ongoing modernisation efforts.

They also advocated for faster resolution mechanisms to address lingering business concerns and further improve the operating environment for investors.

Speaking on behalf of the Council, ABC President, Nneka Enwereji, described the engagement as highly productive and lauded the Customs leadership for its proactive approach to facilitating trade and improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

“This session has been exceptional and clearly reflects your commitment to improving the ease of doing business.

“The Service has set a commendable standard, and there is much that can be learned from these initiatives,” she said.

The meeting further underscored the shared commitment of both organisations to strengthening dialogue, enhancing trade efficiency, and creating a more conducive environment for economic growth and investment

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

Nigeria’s ongoing port modernisation and infrastructure upgrade programme has earned international recognition, with two of the country’s busiest seaports—Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports—listed among the world’s top 20 most improved ports by the World Bank.

The recognition came in the World Bank’s 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), released in June 2026, which highlighted both Lagos ports in its global ranking of ports that recorded the most significant improvements in operational efficiency.

The CPPI provides a consistent, data-driven assessment of port performance worldwide by measuring the time vessels spend in port.

The index enables stakeholders to compare port efficiency across different countries and over time, while identifying areas of progress and operational challenges.

The latest ranking is a major endorsement of the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise Nigeria’s port infrastructure and enhance trade facilitation through reforms spearheaded by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

According to the Authority, the achievement further reinforces its contribution to sustaining Nigeria’s trade surplus by providing efficient port services that support growing import and export activities.

Nigeria has recorded consecutive annual trade surpluses since 2024, with the most recent figure standing at N7.54 trillion in the first quarter of 2026, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Reacting to the development, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Abubakar Dantsoho, attributed the achievement to the Federal Government’s investor-friendly policies and the ongoing port modernisation drive.

“With the investor-friendliness of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu providing the gravitas needed for increased investment to implement our port infrastructure and equipment modernisation drive, coupled with the unflinching support of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, we have all it takes to advance the fortunes of trade and boost the national economy,” Dantsoho stated.

The World Bank recognition is expected to further strengthen investor confidence in Nigeria’s maritime sector and support ongoing efforts to position the country’s ports as competitive gateways for regional and international trade.