The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) have ushered in a new era of cooperation, following a high-level strategic consultation in Lagos on Friday, 26 September 2025. The over six-hour engagement focused on strengthening collaboration to drive industrial growth, enhance trade facilitation, and boost Nigeria’s economic competitiveness.
The meeting provided a critical platform for dialogue and constructive discussion between the two bodies, culminating in a joint communiqué signed by Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) and Francis Meshioye, President of MAN, symbolising a “turning point” in the relationship between both organisations.
Speaking during the engagement, CGC Adeniyi reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to balancing its crucial revenue mandate with business-friendly reforms, noting that the manufacturing sector is “central to Nigeria’s industrialisation and job creation.”
A significant outcome of the consultation was the announcement of strategic exemptions from the 4% FOB levy, approved by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun. These exemptions are designed to reduce costs and enhance the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.
The exemptions cover raw materials, machinery, and spare parts imported by manufacturers under Chapters 98 and 99 of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET). Others include government projects with Import Duty Exemption Certificates (IDEC), humanitarian and life-saving goods, healthcare-related imports under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, and spare parts for commercial airlines.
CGC Adeniyi further clarified that manufacturers yet to be onboarded under Chapters 98 and 99 would benefit from expedited inclusion, and any levy payments already made would be held as credit for future transactions.
Beyond the levy, the dialogue addressed broader operational challenges faced by manufacturers, including multiple checkpoints, excessive alerts in the clearance system, and technical issues with digital trade platforms.
The Customs boss announced plans for a “One-Stop-Shop” trade platform to simplify regulatory processes, reduce bureaucracy, and significantly shorten clearance times. This is in addition to the streamlining of highway checkpoints to eliminate unnecessary delays.
CGC Adeniyi further emphasised that the Service’s reforms are anchored on a vision for long-term economic transformation, stressing a commitment to predictability, transparency, and efficiency in customs operations.
While delivering a remark, the Deputy Comptroller General in Charge of the Tariff and Trade Department, Caroline Niagwan, highlighted the ongoing trade facilitation measures, including the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) scheme, Advance Ruling system, Time Release Study, and various technology-driven solutions designed to streamline clearance and cut costs for legitimate businesses.
MAN President Francis Meshioye lauded the “new spirit of partnership and openness” under the current Customs leadership, stating that the reforms and trade facilitation initiatives will “ease our operations, enhance competitiveness, and ultimately contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth.”
The Manufacturers Association pledged to complement these efforts through constructive policy engagement and by supporting compliance among its members.
Both NCS and MAN resolved to establish formal and tripartite consultation mechanisms for continuous policy dialogue and feedback. The tripartite consultation framework will involve MAN, Customs, and the Ministry of Finance to enable a structured and periodic review, monitoring the impact of new policies and ensuring progress. The service further agreed to develop clear guidelines for MAN members’ admission into the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) scheme.