By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
Nigeria has stepped up preparations for the maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade, known as the C-PACT Conference, as the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Friday briefed journalists at the State House Press Pool in Abuja on the country’s readiness to host the event scheduled for 17 to 19 November 2025.
Speaking during the State House Meet the Press session, the CGC said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent approval of an extension of his mandate came with firm performance targets focused on trade facilitation, port decongestion and the modernisation of Nigeria’s cross-border systems. He explained that the President’s directives reflect a clear plan to reposition Nigeria as a major hub for commerce across Africa.
Adeniyi told journalists that he had intensified engagements with Customs administrations across the continent since receiving the new directive. This includes a recent strategic meeting in Ghana with the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area, where discussions centred on ensuring Customs takes a central role in enforcing rules of origin and applying trade preferences under the free trade regime.
He announced that more than 30 Customs administrations have already registered for the Abuja summit, and 22 of them will be represented by Directors-General. He said the level of interest shown by private-sector operators is one of the strongest signs of growing confidence in Nigeria’s trade leadership.
The CGC also confirmed that Nigeria will host the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation, Ian Saunders, for the first time during the conference. He described this as an important acknowledgment of Nigeria’s rising influence in continental trade diplomacy. He noted that Nigeria’s export volumes have grown by over 30 per cent in the last two years and emphasised that a greater share of these exports should be redirected towards African markets.
Adeniyi praised the strong support from the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, AFREXIMBANK, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, port authorities and other agencies involved in trade facilitation. He said their cooperation has created what he called a historic window for Nigeria to strengthen its leadership in Africa’s economic development.
He called on the State House Press to raise public awareness ahead of the Abuja summit and said the opening day would feature direct conversations with private-sector operators from across the continent to highlight the barriers they face in moving goods within Africa.
