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Biashara Afrika 2024: Adeniyi Meets AfCFTA Secretary-General To Enhance Intra-Africa Trade
By Prince Benson Davies
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has again stressed the need to strengthen and facilitate intra-Africa trade for the greater good of the continent.
Adeniyi stated this during a meeting with the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, on the sidelines of the Biashara Afrika 2024 forum in Kigali, Rwanda, from October 9-11, 2024.
Describing the meeting as ‘significant, he said the engagement brought together key stakeholders to discuss ways to enhance intra-African trade and foster deeper economic integration.
The meeting also offered a unique opportunity to refine strategies to improve trade facilitation under the AfCFTA agreement. Discussions centred on addressing existing bottlenecks and encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the agreement, given their critical role in boosting intra-African trade. Particular emphasis was placed on the role of Customs in these efforts.
During the meeting, the AfCFTA Secretary-General commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its progressive initiatives, including the pilot phase of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program, the implementation of Advanced Rulings, and the conduct of time release studies. “These initiatives have positioned the NCS as a benchmark for African customs administrations,” he added.
Responding, Adeniyi also commended the Secretary-General for his unwavering commitment to advancing the AfCFTA’s goals, despite the resource constraints faced by the Secretariat. He also acknowledged the critical support provided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and the legislative arm through the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“The Act has been instrumental in providing the necessary legal framework for implementing initiatives that align with the government’s vision of making Nigeria the most efficient trading nation on the continent, fostering SME growth, and boosting exports to strengthen intra-African trade,” he said.
A high point of the conversation was the recent achievement of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LE LOOK Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Chinwe Ezenwa, who became the first woman to export goods under the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) of the AfCFTA to East, Central, and North African countries.
Her success, marked by the export of goods on July 16, 2024, from the Apapa Port in Lagos, underscores the growing opportunities for Nigerian businesses in the continental market.
A key outcome of the meeting was the pledge by the AfCFTA Secretariat to develop a concept note outlining the way forward for the free trade area, while the NCS pledged to bring the discussions to the Heads of Customs Administrations platform in Africa to ensure a coordinated approach to addressing customs-related challenges across the continent.
The Biashara Afrika, now in its second edition, has established itself as a formidable platform for engagement between African public and private actors on the effective implementation of the AfCFTA. This year’s forum focused on addressing the evolving challenges in the business environment and seeking the best ways to tackle them.