Nigeria goes live with its Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme to Fast-Track Trade
On the 14th of February 2025, during a high-level media-covered event, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) officially launched its AEO Programme, designed to improve supply chain security, foster a compliance culture and provide trade facilitation benefits that will contribute to the economic prosperity of Nigeria.
The WCO’s Secretary General, Mr Ian Saunders, commemorated the significant milestone with a video message emphasizing that “the launch of the AEO programme is but one element of a modernization and efficiency effort in the Nigeria Customs Service, one marked by clear leadership by the Comptroller General and his team, grounded in a sense of local ownership, and guided by a recognition of the benefits that trade facilitation can bring to Nigeria”. He further appreciated the NCS’s inclusive approach, noting that NCS “tested the Programme in a pilot that included businesses of various sizes and models, including small and medium-sized enterprises”.
Prior to its launch, the NCS piloted the AEO Programme with six economic operators with a variety of business models, also including SMEs who export finished products. This initiative is aligned with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria’s economy by 2030, focusing on diversifying it beyond the oil sector, strengthening agricultural value chains, and improving the manufacturing sector's competitiveness. The pilot phase provided valuable insights, allowing for the refinement of the AEO framework to meet the various business models adopted by diverse economic operators within the supply chain.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Mr Adewale Adeniyi, marked the AEO Programme as a game-changer and referenced the significant reduction of at least 66.9% in clearance times reported by the companies participating in the pilot phase. He further highlighted the importance of compelling benefits of the AEO programme, including accelerated Customs clearance processes, a substantial reduction in physical inspections, priority treatment in Customs procedures, enhanced predictability in supply chain operations, and measurable cost efficiencies. CGC Adeniyi emphasized that “the true measure of this partnership's success is beyond the metrics; it is in the quality of relationships we are building”. He added: “We are not just working with compliant companies; we are partnering with organizations that uphold the highest standards of business ethics”. In this context, the CGC thanked the WCO’s Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, funded by the United Kingdom, for providing valuable technical guidance throughout the NCS’s AEO reform journey as part of its multi-year partnership for the effective implementation of trade facilitation reforms.
The presence of distinguished Ministers from key portfolios, such as the Department of Industry and Trade, Industry of Marine and the Blue Economy, Department of Finance and other Members of the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC), illustrated a transformative moment for Nigeria’s trade landscape, also reinforcing the significance of Customs to Other Governmental Agency Cooperation. Moreover, referencing that Nigeria is further integrating into the global trading ecosystem, industry leaders hailed the AEO Programme as a pivotal initiative that will boost national revenue and solidify Nigeria's position as a preferred trade hub in West Africa.
The six economic operators of the AEO Pilot were subsequently granted their AEO statuses, and the NCS expressed its readiness to increase the programme’s uptake in Nigeria. This will be achieved by providing tangible and impactful trade facilitation benefits and leveraging technology to automate the end-to-end AEO Process, including an AEO Portal. With improved access to resources and training opportunities through the AEO Portal, more businesses will be empowered to achieve AEO status, unlocking numerous trade benefits.
The WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme looks forward to continuing its partnership with NCS to promote sustainable trade facilitation reforms and inclusive economic prosperity.
