The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, led a delegation to the Netherlands for a two-day bilateral working visit aimed at strengthening cooperation on trade facilitation, port efficiency, and border management between both countries.
Held from 29 to 31 October 2025, the visit featured a series of high-level technical sessions, institutional briefings, and strategic meetings with Dutch Customs officials and trade experts.
The mission began at the Dutch Customs Headquarters in Rotterdam, where the delegation was received by senior officials of the Netherlands Customs Administration.
Presentations were delivered by Ed Tulp, head of the National Tariff Classification Team (TeamLTT), on tariff and origin procedures, and Dennis van der Wolk of the Customs National Tactical Centre (DLTC), who discussed risk management, cargo monitoring, and tactical decision-making in Customs operations.
The NCS team also met with the Head of International Affairs, Netherlands Customs, to explore opportunities for inter-agency coordination, capacity-building exchanges, and digital trade innovations.
Speaking during the engagements, CGC Adeniyi commended the Dutch Customs’ structured approach to classification and risk profiling, describing it as “particularly insightful in showing how systematic collaboration and data-driven analysis can enhance compliance and trade facilitation across borders.”
He reaffirmed that the Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to international best practices that “balance enforcement with facilitation, ensuring legitimate trade thrives while revenue and security interests are safeguarded.”
The delegation later visited Schiphol Airport, where officials of Schiphol Cargo demonstrated advanced cargo clearance, classification, and automation systems used at one of Europe’s busiest air freight hubs.
Deputy Comptroller-General Caroline Niagwan, who heads the NCS Tariff and Trade Department, said the insights gained from the visit would “be instrumental in improving Nigeria’s cargo handling systems, particularly under the Service’s ongoing modernisation drive.”
The visit, described by both sides as a success, marks another step in Nigeria–Netherlands Customs cooperation, with both administrations pledging to sustain technical collaboration on trade efficiency, compliance management, and border security.
