The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is set to host the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Conference from December 7 to 8 and the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) 2026 Conference from December 9 to 11 in Abuja, as part of its commitment to strengthening border security, facilitating legitimate trade and advancing regional economic integration.
The conference, themed: ‘Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities,’ will provide a platform to review the service’s modernisation efforts, assess progress against previous commitments, and reinforce the relationship between effective Customs administration, national security, and trade facilitation.
C-PACT 2026, themed ‘One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts,’ will extend the discussions to the continental level, focusing on practical approaches to coordinated border management and digital connectivity across Africa.
The conference will bring together relevant government officials, Customs leadership, trade stakeholders and institutional partners to examine the Service’s progress in implementing modernisation and trade facilitation reforms.
The event will examine intelligence-led enforcement, emerging border threats, inter-agency collaboration, and officers’ professional responsibilities in protecting communities and maintaining public trust.
A major component of the conference will be the examination of how digital transformation and stakeholder partnerships are improving Customs operations.
Discussions will give stakeholders, including AEO beneficiaries, the National Single Window Secretariat, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), excise-sector representatives, and other relevant institutions, an opportunity to assess reform outcomes and identify areas for further improvement.
Building on the national conference, C-PACT 2026 will provide a continental platform for Customs administrations, policymakers, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Regional Economic Communities, border management agencies, development partners, technology providers and private-sector stakeholders to advance cooperation in African trade. The conference will address persistent challenges affecting cross-border trade, including fragmented procedures, duplicated controls, limited information exchange, incompatible digital systems, and insufficient coordination among border agencies.
It will explore how One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), supported by interconnected Customs platforms, coordinated risk management, harmonised procedures and secure information exchange, can reduce delays, lower trade costs, and improve the predictability of goods movement across African trade corridors.