The Nigeria Customs Service NCS has expanded its international collaboration efforts following a high-level engagement with the General Administration of Customs of China GACC . The meeting, held in Beijing on July 25, 2025, brought together senior officials from both agencies to advance bilateral knowledge sharing and capacity development in customs administration.
The 21-member Nigerian delegation was led by Assistant Comptroller-General Oluyomi Adebakin, Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College NCCSC, Gwagwalada. Discussions with GACC covered areas such as training methodologies, modernization models, and technology-driven solutions in customs operations, reflecting China's key role in Nigeria's international trade network.
The engagement showcased China's structured customs training system, which incorporates virtual reality, 5G-enabled systems, and blended e-learning approaches. In 2024 alone, the GACC conducted more than 8,000 physical training sessions and developed 360 online courses. Nigeria's active participation in China-led customs initiatives was also underscored, with over 200 African customs officers - including 89 from Nigeria - trained since 2023 in trade facilitation, anti-smuggling enforcement, food safety supervision, and digital port operations.
Both parties explored opportunities for technical exchange programmes, joint research, and officer exchange schemes focusing on regional port systems and cross-border intelligence cooperation. The dialogue also opened new pathways for Nigeria's involvement in upcoming customs modernization courses and officer training programmes at the Shanghai Customs College.
