By George OPARA
The Nigera’s Comptroller-General of the Customs Services (NCS) Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Thursday held high level talks with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates to strengthen bilateral trade relations and enhance customs cooperation between both countries.
At the diplomatic engagement in Abuja, the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed, applauded Adeniyi on his emergence as Chairman of the World Customs Organization (WCO).
He also said the appointment was a key milestone for Nigeria and the African continent.
Saeed, however, said the collaboration between existing between the two countries has yielded tangible results, essentially in the growth of non oil trade.
He disclosed that the trade volumes in the sector recorded a substantial increase between 2023 and 2025, despite prevailing global and regional challenges, noting that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been forwarded to enhance cooperation between the Nigeria Customs Service and UAE Customs, with a focus on trade facilitation and improved customs administration.
The ambassador added that Adeniyi was one of the most distinguished guests received by the embassy, attributing Nigeria’s sustained trade growth to the efforts of the Customs leadership.
Adeniyi expressed appreciation for the warm reception and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening ties with the UAE.
He said the engagement marked the beginning of a new phase in bilateral relations aimed at boosting trade efficiency and fostering closer collaboration between customs administrations.
“We are committed to working with the UAE to simplify trade processes, particularly for small and medium-scale enterprises, and to leverage diplomatic channels to enhance cooperation among customs authorities,” he said.
Adeniyi asserted that trade relations between Nigeria and the UAE have seen significant improvement in the past two years, pledging sustained engagement with stakeholders to promote efficiency.
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