Nigeria, Netherlands deepen customs cooperation to boost trade efficiency, border security

By Maureen Aguta

Diplomatic and trade ties between Nigeria and the Netherlands received a major boost as the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, led a delegation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on a three-day working visit to the Netherlands to strengthen cooperation on trade facilitation, port efficiency, and compliance management.

The visit, held from October 29 to 31, 2025, featured high-level meetings, technical briefings, and field sessions with Dutch Customs authorities in Rotterdam and The Hague.

At the Dutch Customs Headquarters in Rotterdam, the delegation was received by senior officials of the Netherlands Customs Administration and attended detailed presentations on tariff classification, risk profiling, and cargo monitoring systems.

A session by the National Tariff Classification Team (TeamLTT) led by Ed Tulp explored how the Netherlands streamlines its tariff and origin procedures, while Dennis van der Wolk of the Customs National Tactical Centre (DLTC) demonstrated advanced models for risk management and tactical decision-making in Customs operations.

Adeniyi commended the Dutch Customs for its structured, data-driven approach to operations, saying the lessons would help improve Nigeria’s trade management systems.

“These sessions have been particularly insightful in showing how collaboration and data-driven analysis can enhance compliance and trade facilitation across borders,” he said. “The Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to international best practices that balance enforcement with facilitation.”

The NCS team also visited Schiphol Airport, where officials of Schiphol Cargo demonstrated how automation and pre-arrival processing enable efficient cargo clearance. Deputy Comptroller-General Caroline Niagwan, who heads the Tariff and Trade Department, said the experience offered “practical insights that will guide Nigeria’s modernisation of cargo handling and risk management processes.”

In The Hague, the delegation met with Mr. Machiel Zweers, Director-General for International Trade at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who reaffirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to long-term cooperation with Nigeria.

“This engagement opens a new chapter of partnership built on trust, innovation, and mutual learning,” Zweers stated.

The visit also featured a bilateral session at the Netherlands Ministry of Finance, where both sides reviewed key outcomes and explored frameworks to formalise cooperation in tariff classification, trade facilitation, and gender equity within Customs operations.

CGC Adeniyi described the discussions as “a constructive platform to consolidate lessons learned and translate them into practical frameworks that will strengthen Nigeria’s Customs modernisation programme and compliance culture.”

The visit concluded with a guided tour of the Port of Rotterdam—Europe’s busiest seaport—where the NCS team was briefed on the port’s integrated logistics operations, cargo-tracking systems, and intermodal transport models.

“It was an eye-opener on how synergy between Customs and port authorities can create an enabling environment for seamless trade and revenue optimisation,” Adeniyi said.

Niagwan added that the Netherlands’ model demonstrates that “inclusivity, data intelligence, and inter-agency trust are indispensable to an effective Customs system.”

The visit, anchored on institutional cooperation and knowledge exchange, reinforces the NCS’s drive to benchmark global standards under the leadership of CGC Adewale Adeniyi.

Members of the Nigerian delegation included DCG Caroline Niagwan, DCG in charge of Tariff and Trade; Deputy Comptroller Etim Ibok, the CGC’s Special Assistant; Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, National Public Relations Officer; and Assistant Comptroller Lauretta Utubor, Team Lead for Nigeria’s Advance Ruling System.