The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has reassured stakeholders and indeed, Nigerians that it is fully equipped to fulfill its role as a Designated Competent Authority, DCA responsible for issuing Certificate Of Origin and streamlining cargo clearance for export of goods within Africa and in this context, guided markets in the ongoing African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi who gave the reassurance in his goodwill message at Nigeria’s inaugural shipment under the Guided Trade Initiative, GTI/AfCFTA Framework in Lagos on Tuesday to mark Nigeria’s implementation of AfCFTA said that the Service would fulfill its role through the training of officers in collaboration with World Customs Organization, WCO experts on AfCFTA Rules of Origin, the preparation of originating stamps for endorsing Certificate Of Origin, the development of electronic Certificates of Origin in partnership with other relevant agencies, the deployment of officers in the port to handle exports under the AfCFTA and the designation of specialized seaports for expediting the export clearance processes.
Represented by the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Tariff and Trade, CK Niagwan, Adeniyi remarked that the Service firmly believed that Nigeria’s participation in the AfCFTA GTI would open new opportunities for businesses and economic growth while reshaping intra-African relation.
He recalled that Nigeria officially endorsed its membership in the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement in 2020 to facilitate cross border trade within Africa as UNDP AfCFTA stands as the most extensive free trade agreement globally encompassing 54 African nations both in a combined GDP of USD 3.4 trillion and offering market access to approximately.
“To aid in the effective execution of the agreement in Nigeria, the federal government instituted the National Action Committee, NAC on the AfCFTA in line with the provisions of the agreement tasked with supervising the implementation through an eight pillars focused on harnessing the country’s competitive advantages.
“The committee includes the representatives of the Nigeria Customs Service serving as the Designated Competent Authority responsible for issuing Certificate Of Origin and streamlining cargo clearance for export of goods within Africa and in this context, guided markets.
“Notwithstanding the delay in Nigeria’s involvement in phase 1 of the GTI, trading commenced on the 1st of January, 2021 with countries like Rwanda and Ghana taking the lead. Subsequently, from August to October, 2023, the NAC organized a GDI tour to benchmark the best practices of Rwanda and Ghana in preparation for Nigeria’s participation in phase 2 trading under the initiative”, he said.
He however, commended the efforts of the federal government in ensuring the effective implementation of all necessary measures required for the GTI to take off especially the Gazetting of the tariff concessions.
Concluding, he said, “I will like to extend the assurance of the highest regards of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service and reaffirm the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment and support to the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by aligning the core priorities of NCS with the promotion of export in line with the policy advisory document of the federal government of Nigeria.”
Photo: Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General of Customs.
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