Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, has disclosed the continental body’s readiness to replicate the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) indigenous digital innovations in other African countries.

According to a statement by the National Public Relations Officer of NCS, Dr Abdullahi Maiwada, yesterday, Mene made the remarks during a working visit to the Customs Headquarters in Abuja on August 6, 2026.

Mene commended the NCS for developing cutting-edge indigenous technology capable of transforming customs administration across Africa.

The AfCFTA Secretary-General noted that many African countries still relied on manual customs processes, a situation he said contributed to revenue leakages, border delays and low intra-African trade.

He stressed that Nigeria’s technological advancement offered a sustainable model for strengthening customs administration across the continent.

Responding, the Comptroller-General of NCS, Dr Bashir Adeniyi, appreciated the AfCFTA Secretary-General for recognising the Service’s modernisation efforts and reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to advancing technology that reflects Africa’s unique trade realities and supports the objectives of the continental free trade agreement.

Adeniyi noted that the commendation from the continental trade body further reinforces the Service’s resolve to sustain its ongoing modernisation agenda.

In another development, the Comptroller-General of Customs has attributed the transformation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to the deliberate deployment of technology across virtually every aspect of Customs administration.

Adeniyi spoke during a two-day retreat between the NCS and the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise in Abuja, aimed at strengthening legislative oversight and reviewing the Nigeria Customs Service Act.

In a statement issued by the Customs spokesman, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, yesterday, the Comptroller-General said technology had enabled the Service to improve the speed and efficiency of its operations.

Adeniyi said the Service had also introduced advanced technological solutions into its enforcement operations, including virtual shooting simulators, geospatial intelligence and digital surveillance.

The Customs boss added that the Nigeria Customs Service Act provided the legal backing for several of the Service’s modernisation initiatives.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, Senator Isah Jibrin, expressed satisfaction with the reforms introduced under Adeniyi’s leadership.

Jibrin said the reforms demonstrated efforts to improve the efficiency of the NCS and the utilisation of resources allocated to the Service.

He said the visit enabled lawmakers to witness the transformation of the Service first hand.

The senator added that the retreat had given lawmakers a clearer understanding of how funds appropriated to the Service were being deployed.