The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reinforced its commitment to innovation-driven trade facilitation and global cooperation with a strong showing at the 2026 World Customs Organisation (WCO) Technology Conference and Exhibition, which opened on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), United Arab Emirates.
Organised by the WCO under the theme “Customs Agility in a Complex World: Securing and Facilitating Trade through Innovation,” the high-level conference brings together Customs administrations, policymakers, technology providers and industry leaders to explore how digital solutions can enhance border security while enabling legitimate trade.
Nigeria’s participation highlights the Service’s ongoing trade modernisation agenda and its alignment with global best practices in digitalisation, data exchange and intelligence-led enforcement.
Speaking during a panel session on Customs agility, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi who also serves as Chairperson of the WCO Council underscored the importance of structured international collaboration in tackling emerging cross-border challenges.
According to him, sustained engagement with organisations such as INTERPOL, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the Universal Postal Union is critical to tracking transnational criminal networks, protecting intellectual property and managing evolving trade risks. He noted that challenges such as cargo diversion along transit corridors require coordinated Customs-to-Customs cooperation rather than isolated national responses.
The CGC also praised innovative solutions showcased at the conference, including a digital humanitarian corridor developed by the UAE, describing it as a scalable tool capable of improving the efficient movement of relief consignments in a fully digitalised Customs environment.
While highlighting the central role of technology in modern Customs administration, Adeniyi stressed that sustainable modernisation must go beyond systems deployment. He emphasised the need for continuous organisational agility and deliberate investment in human capital, especially as Customs administrations worldwide navigate generational transitions.
Also representing Nigeria at the conference, the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) Team played an active role in technical discussions and exhibitions. The General Manager, TMP, Ahmed Ogunsola, participated in a panel on leveraging cloud computing and data analytics to strengthen risk management and compliance, while TMP’s software development lead, Nabil Mustapha, delivered a tech talk on the evolution of national trade systems, focusing on secure architectures, seamless user experience and value-driven outcomes.
At the exhibition, the TMP showcased Nigeria’s progress in Customs modernisation, including the indigenous B’odogwu application and other digital solutions designed to integrate stakeholders across the trade ecosystem and improve operational efficiency.
The conference also featured remarks by senior UAE officials and the WCO Secretary-General, Ian Saunders, all of whom highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence, data analytics and innovation in securing global supply chains and facilitating trade.
Beyond the exhibition and panel sessions, the NCS and TMP teams participated in the conference Hackathon, collaborating with global experts to develop practical, innovation-led responses to emerging border challenges—further demonstrating Nigeria’s growing capacity to contribute to global Customs technology solutions.
Overall, Nigeria Customs’ active engagement at the Abu Dhabi conference reflects a clear resolve to modernise operations, strengthen international partnerships and deploy innovation as a cornerstone of efficient, secure and globally aligned trade facilitation.
Leave a Reply