The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Maritime Police Command have agreed to deepen collaboration and intelligence sharing to enhance security and streamline trade operations along the nation’s waterways.
Chief Superintendent of Customs and Zonal Public Relations Officer for Zone ‘A’, Edeminam Akininyene, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Lagos.
He said the agreement was reached during a visit by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Maritime Command, Festus Oko, to the Customs Zonal Headquarters in Lagos.
Oko said the renewed partnership underscored a shared commitment to strengthening maritime security and addressing rising criminal activities along Nigeria’s coastal corridors.
“I commend the Nigeria Customs Service for its unwavering professionalism in trade facilitation and protection of lives and property. The Service’s role in revenue collection and national growth remains invaluable,” Oko said.
Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘A’, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs (ACG) Mohammed Babandede, lauded the collaboration, stressing that Customs remained committed to balancing enforcement with efficient trade facilitation.
He said the Service would ensure that procedural overlaps between agencies do not impede Nigeria’s economic goals.
Both agencies, according to Akininyene, agreed to strengthen real-time intelligence sharing and develop joint operational protocols to prevent duplication of duties and ensure that security measures support trade efficiency.
In a related development, Western Zonal Coordinator of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Femi Anifowose, paid a courtesy visit to the Customs Zonal Headquarters, where he raised concerns over challenges causing high demurrage fees and supply chain disruptions.
Responding, Babandede pledged closer collaboration with ANLCA to remove trade bottlenecks, improve revenue generation, and advance national security objectives.
He said the synergy between Customs and clearing agents aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s National Single Window (NSW) initiative and the administration’s drive toward building a $1 trillion economy by 2026.
“This partnership is about unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential through collaboration, efficiency, and innovation,” Babandede said.
