The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to trade facilitation and investor confidence following a high-level engagement with the American Business Council (ABC) on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The meeting brought together the Comptroller General of Customs, senior NCS officers, executives of American companies operating in Nigeria, and key industry stakeholders to deliberate on trade facilitation, regulatory reforms, dispute resolution and policy strategies aimed at improving Nigeria’s investment climate.
Addressing participants, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, described stakeholder engagement as a core pillar of modern customs administration, stressing that sustained dialogue with the private sector has been instrumental in resolving longstanding operational bottlenecks.
“Stakeholder engagement is one of the major pillars of any modern Customs administration. We have realised that when we address issues in a mutually beneficial manner, everybody becomes a winner”, Adeniyi stated.
He pointed to the recent resolution of a seven-year classification dispute involving a member of the Council as tangible evidence of progress made through consistent consultations and collaborative problem-solving.
The CGC also announced the introduction of a unified dispute resolution mechanism aimed at streamlining procedures, reducing delays and lowering the cost of resolving trade-related conflicts.
According to him, the initiative is part of broader modernisation reforms within the Service designed to enhance transparency, predictability and operational efficiency.
“This engagement forms part of the Nigeria Customs Service’s broader strategy to deepen partnerships with international business communities while enhancing trade facilitation and economic growth”, he added.
In her remarks, the Executive Secretary of the American Business Council, Margaret Olele, commended the NCS for maintaining open communication channels with the private sector and taking practical steps to resolve persistent trade concerns.
“We are seeing positive outcomes from these engagements, including the resolution of long-standing issues affecting our members.
“While not every concern can be resolved immediately, sustained dialogue helps balance national interests with the need for an efficient business environment”, Olele said.
The engagement underscores the NCS’s resolve to build a more transparent, responsive and investment-friendly trade ecosystem, while strengthening commercial ties between Nigeria and the United States.