The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has called for a deeper, enduring partnership with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) by fostering mutual understanding of their respective challenges. This was highlighted during a courtesy visit by MAN’s Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadiri, to the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
Adeniyi emphasized the need for a forward-looking agenda that transcends immediate issues, stressing that sustainable collaboration requires clarity, commitment, and broad stakeholder engagement. He commended MAN’s structured internal processes, which involve consultations across its ten sectors and over sixty sub-sectors, culminating in harmonized policy positions through its Economic Policy Committee.
“To build lasting friendship and partnership, we must understand each other’s challenges,” Adeniyi stated. “When faced with difficulties, we become more open to solutions that drive collaboration.”
He outlined NCS initiatives to enhance trade facilitation, including the Authorised Economic Operator programme, Advanced Ruling, Corporate Social Responsibility framework, the B’Odogwu platform, and dedicated special desks. Adeniyi also announced plans for a November conference to engage stakeholders in advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation.
“We want MAN to join our initiatives and set a broader agenda,” he said, proposing a wider meeting and offering to travel to Lagos to engage manufacturers directly. “This conversation must continue without delay.”
MAN’s Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadiri, described Customs as a vital partner in tackling Nigeria’s economic challenges, advocating for seamless collaboration. “We’re reigniting our past synergy. Economic developments demand we accelerate and expand this engagement,” he said.
Ajayi-Kadiri praised Adeniyi’s openness and reaffirmed MAN’s commitment to constructive dialogue, not confrontation, to address pressures faced by industries. He highlighted MAN’s structured policy approach, ensuring decisions reflect manufacturers’ realities nationwide.
