The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has stated that its commencement to implementation of the recently launched pilot Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program in Nigeria would be ramped up.
Speaking as a panelist at the World Customs Organization (WCO) conference last week, Adeniyi said that the AEO was designed to contribute to the broader objectives of the WCO in promoting border security and fostering sustainable economic development globally.
He noted that the Service’s level of implementing AEO was at the starting point but expressed his readiness to engage Customs officers in building their capacity on the program implementation
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He stated: “We started implementing a pilot AEO program a month ago, and we have been inspired by the policy and vision of the new Nigerian government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to enhance the economic competitiveness and diversification.
“The indices that they used in compiling the ease of doing business is trading across borders, and AEO allows us to engage with our stakeholders and reduce the time and cost of doing business.”
Adeniyi further clarified at the panel discussion moderated by Mr. Ian Sanders, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization, that “although the Service gets the support of the WCO, the organizers of the conference must consider the challenges that the Service experiences in the area of optimizing stakeholders’ engagement, amongst others.”
Sanders applauded the participating members of the AEO and described this year’s conference “as a platform for sharing a common commitment to transparent, secured and resilient trade ecosystem.”
