C-PACT Summit: Africa must break inefficient borders – Tinubu

…As African Customs chiefs meet in Abuja

Omeiza Bilal

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday, charged African nations to dismantle inefficient borders, modernise their Customs systems and commit to a unified trade architecture capable of reshaping the continent’s economic future. 

Declaring open the maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Summit at the State House in Abuja, President Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said Africa’s prosperity depends on deliberate reforms that convert its large market and population into a functional economic bloc.

Shettima told delegates that Africa must replace fragmented markets with coordinated policy implementation, stressing that every country must demonstrate political will, institutional alignment and the readiness to deploy technology that simplifies trade. 

He said, “The administration’s reform, exchange rate unification, fuel subsidy removal, port modernisation, and stronger Customs digitalisation, were designed to create a trade-friendly environment that could compete globally and power Nigeria’s continental ambitions.”

The VP stated that Nigeria’s National Single Window, set to go live in March 2026, will significantly reduce clearance timelines from 21 days to under seven, thereby fully aligning the country with the AfCFTA’s digital trade requirements and positioning Nigeria as a standard-setter in port automation. 

Shettima urged African governments to transform commitments into measurable outcomes that traders, manufacturers and logistics operators can feel daily, saying “Integration cannot be declared. It must be engineered.”

Speaking at the event, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the extension of his mandate by President Tinubu included key performance indicators directly tied to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). 

He stated that Nigeria’s Customs Service has, over the last three months, intensified its engagement with Customs administrations across Africa to ensure that Customs is properly integrated into the AfCFTA implementation structures.

He recalled recent engagements in Ghana with the AfCFTA Secretariat, emphasising that Customs must drive rules of origin enforcement, preferential duty implementation and trade preference administration, core elements that determine whether AfCFTA works in reality or remains aspirational. 

The CGC stated that implementing a free trade agreement requires significant capacity building and a strong political commitment, as it involves the progressive suspension of Customs duties among member states.

He explained that past regional integration efforts, including the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, suffered setbacks because participating countries failed to implement commitments consistently, stressing that AfCFTA must avoid that pattern. 

According to him, African economies are divided into regions with varying levels of readiness. Still, recent engagements have helped build consensus that Customs must sit at the centre of AfCFTA execution.

CGC Adeniyi said his persistent advocacy for Customs inclusion at continental meetings led to the emergence of C-PACT, a framework designed to foster direct partnerships among African Customs administrations, private-sector operators, regulators and international partners.

He said Nigeria’s export volume has increased by more than 30 percent in two years, and the objective now is to redirect more of that trade into African markets where the opportunities are larger and the impact on continental growth more meaningful. 

The Customs CG further commended AfreximBank, the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, commercial banks, NPA and other agencies for aligning with the Customs Service to deepen trade facilitation.

He also announced that 30 African Customs administrations have registered for the conference, including 22 represented at the Director-General level, with strong participation from West, Central, East, Southern and North Africa. 

He added that for the first time, the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation is attending a Nigeria-hosted Customs conference, signaling strong global support for Nigeria’s leadership role.

He said the conference will begin with private-sector sessions to understand the challenges traders face, including non-tariff barriers, cargo delays and inconsistent implementation of trade preferences across Africa.

Representing the Minister of Finance, Dr Wale Edun, the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Anite, stated that customs reforms are central to Nigeria’s fiscal transformation. 

She said efficient border operations reduce the cost of doing business, boost investor confidence and help Nigeria compete in regional and global markets. 

Anite noted the government’s support for complete digitisation of Customs operations, improved risk management systems and harmonisation with global standards.

On her part, the Minister of Trade, Investment and Industry, Jumoke Oduwole, said the AfCFTA remains Africa’s most crucial economic instrument but warned that structural delays and outdated systems still hinder its impact. 

She highlighted reforms undertaken with the Nigeria Customs Service, including tariff concession schedules and a dedicated air-cargo export corridor to East and Southern Africa. 

World Customs Organisation Secretary-General Ian Saunders said Africa’s economic forecast for 2025 shows strong growth, but the continent’s ability to harness that potential depends heavily on Customs efficiency. 

Recalling one of the WCO motto: “Borders divide; Customs connects,” Sanders said, the C-PACT aligns closely with WCO’s mission to support Customs administrations globally through standards, capacity building and operational guidance.

Meanwhile, AfreximBank’s Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade, Kanayo Awani, stated that the Bank is supporting Customs modernisation across Africa, including transit-bond guarantees, digital tracking systems, and the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund to help countries offset tariff revenue losses. 

She said Africa cannot realise the benefits of AfCFTA without harmonised systems and interoperable Customs operations.

AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene said that implementing the agreement’s annexes on Customs cooperation, transit, and trade facilitation requires Customs leadership at every stage. 

He praised Nigeria’s leadership and the CGC’s role as Chair of the WCO Council, stating that Africa relies on Customs to translate trade rules into practical border outcomes that lower costs, reduce bureaucracy, and protect market access for African products.