The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strengthened its partnership with His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of the United Kingdom to advance trade facilitation and digital border management.

The NCS Spokesperson, Mr. Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday and published on the Service’s verified social media platforms.

Mr. Maiwada said the development followed a high-level bilateral meeting held in London under the framework of the Nigeria–United Kingdom Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP).

According to him, the meeting, held on the sidelines of President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the U.K., was led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr. Bashir Adeniyi, and Ms. Megan Shaw, Head of International Customs and Border Engagement at HMRC.

He said discussions focused on advancing customs modernisation, strengthening transparency in bilateral trade data, and expanding operational cooperation between both administrations.

“This is aimed at improving efficiency and integrity across the Nigeria–United Kingdom trade corridor,” he said.

Mr. Maiwada noted that both sides identified discrepancies in bilateral trade data as a structural challenge requiring coordinated resolution.

“Available statistics indicate that approximately £504 million in UK-origin goods were recorded as imports into Nigeria in 2024, while the United Kingdom reported exports to Nigeria valued at approximately £1.7 billion during the same period,” he said.

“To address this gap, both parties agreed to explore the establishment of a structured pre-arrival data exchange framework between their respective digital customs platforms. This is expected to enhance risk management, improve data reconciliation, and strengthen compliance monitoring,” he added.

He said the engagement also provided an opportunity for both administrations to present their respective customs modernisation programmes, including the UK’s advancements in artificial intelligence-driven trade tools, digital verification systems, and real-time analytics.

According to him, discussions underscored the importance of deeper collaboration in technology deployment and digital border management.

Key outcomes of the meeting include plans to develop a Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Framework, commence technical scoping for capacity-building and knowledge exchange, and establish a joint technical engagement mechanism under the ETIP framework.

Mr. Maiwada said the Comptroller-General emphasised that effective customs cooperation remains a critical driver of economic growth and sustainable trade development.

He noted that Nigeria and the United Kingdom share a longstanding economic relationship supported by active trade across key sectors, including industrial goods, agriculture, energy, and consumer products.

“Customs administrations serve as frontline institutions responsible for ensuring that trade flows between both countries are transparent, secure, and mutually beneficial,” Mr. Adeniyi said.

The NCS reiterated its commitment to strengthening international partnerships as part of its broader modernisation agenda to promote transparency, efficiency, and competitiveness in Nigeria’s trading environment.

The Service added that insights from the engagement would enhance its operational capacity, improve trade facilitation, and support Nigeria’s economic reform objectives under the Renewed Hope programme.