Customs to Host 2026 CGC, C-PACT Conferences in Abuja to Boost Border Security, African Trade

By Aminat Damilola, Assistant Editor

In Abuja, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will host the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Conference from 7 to 8 December 2026, followed by the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Conference from 9 to 11 December 2026.

In a statement obtained by Spynews today, the Service’s National Public Relations Officer (PRO), Abdullahi Maiwada, noted that both events reinforce their drive to strengthen border security, ease legitimate trade, and advance regional economic integration

The CGC’s Conference—themed “Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities”—will review the Service’s modernization efforts, check progress on past commitments, and connect effective customs administration with national security and trade facilitation.

Building on this, the image maker said, the C-PACT 2026 (“One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts”) will expand these talks to the continental level, focusing on practical ways to improve coordinated border management and digital connectivity across Africa.

He added that the CGC’s Conference will convene government officials, Customs leadership, trade stakeholders, and institutional partners to review progress on modernization and trade facilitation reforms.

“Under the sub-themes “Enabling African Trade: Digital Customs, Trusted Corridors and Seamless Payments” and “Secure Borders, Safer Communities: Intelligence, Partnership and Trust at the Frontline,” the programme will evaluate 2025 commitments against 2026 results.

The key highlights, according to Maiwada, include presentations on Customs modernisation, the issuance of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates, and panels on measuring the impact of reforms on trade and revenue. Additionally, sessions will address intelligence-led enforcement, emerging border threats, inter-agency collaboration, and the professional responsibilities required to maintain public trust.

A core focus of the CGC Conference, he said, “will be evaluating how digital transformation and stakeholder partnerships are improving Customs operations.

The image maker said, stakeholders—including Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) beneficiaries, the National Single Window Secretariat, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), and excise-sector representatives—will review reform results and identify next steps.

On the second day, he said, the conference will shift to joint responses against converging border threats, convening security and enforcement bodies such as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU)

Building on the national conference, C-PACT 2026, he said, “will unite Customs administrations, policymakers, the AfCFTA Secretariat, Regional Economic Communities, and private-sector partners to strengthen African trade cooperation.

The conference, according to him, will tackle major cross-border barriers—such as fragmented rules, overlapping checks, weak data sharing, and siloed border agencies.

“It will also examine how One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), connected digital platforms, and unified risk management can cut delays, reduce trade costs, and speed up the movement of goods across African corridors.

“The C-PACT 2026 programme will feature high-level policy dialogues, custom-administration strategy sessions, and technical workshops on connected borders, alongside live technology demonstrations and public-private partnership talks for modern border infrastructure.

Key sessions will focus on rolling out core African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) tools—including the AfCFTA Integrated Transit System, the Single Bond Guarantee Scheme, and the Electronic Certificate of Origin system. Ultimately, the conference aims to produce actionable policy recommendations, pinpoint high-priority investments, forge institutional alliances, and launch a clear implementation roadmap for a digitally connected continental network.

Led by Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and its management team, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Maiwada said, is deepening its ties with national, regional, and international partners.

Through the CGC Conference and C-PACT 2026, the Service, he said, aims to drive reform accountability and deploy practical solutions that unite border security, trade facilitation, technological growth, and safer communities.

Both conferences aim to enhance Customs operations, boost regional cooperation, and drive the AfCFTA’s vision of a more integrated, competitive, and prosperous African market.