Customs, NIIA Launch Centre to Boost Trade and Investment
By Patience Ikpeme
In a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s trade and investment framework, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) have inaugurated the Bashir Adeniyi Centre for International Trade and Investment.
Named after the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, the centre was unveiled at the NIIA in Lagos on October 24, 2024.
During the inauguration, CGC Adeniyi expressed optimism about the centre’s role in Nigeria’s repositioning in global trade. “This Centre will evolve into a comprehensive national think tank focused on international trade and investment,” he said.
NIIA Director General Professor Eghosa Osaghae described the centre as a “finishing school for senior customs officers,” offering executive courses within a global framework aligned with the World Customs Organisation.
The launch included a panel discussion featuring notable figures, including Donald Duke and Dr. Chinyere Almona, who discussed Nigeria’s trade and investment challenges.
The CGC emphasized that the centre would build capacity in trade facilitation, aiming to promote prosperity through trade.
The centre is set to become a hub for enhancing Nigeria’s global trade integration, advancing customs expertise, and supporting national economic growth.
