The Federal government and key stakeholders in the nation’s maritime sector have commended the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) for its professional contributions to trade facilitation as the association celebrated its 72nd anniversary.
The stakeholders, including the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, also urged customs agents to continue to embrace digitalisation, strengthen compliance and continuously upgrade their professional skills.
The anniversary, themed “ANLCA: Celebrating a Legacy of Professionalism, Advancing Trade Facilitation, and Shaping the Future of Customs Brokerage,” attracted government officials, port regulators, terminal operators, shipping companies and representatives of sister agencies.
Among those who graced the event held in Lagos on Tuesday were the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Corporate Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Chairperson of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) and Executive Vice Chairman of ENL Consortium, Olori Vicky Haastrup and Deputy Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly, Hon Mojisola Miranda.
The NRS Chairman, represented by the Director of the National Single Window Project, Tola Fakolade described customs agents as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s trade facilitation system, noting their role in preparing declarations, classifying goods, applying appropriate rates and guiding traders through customs processes.
He said, “You are a major pillar of trade facilitation in this country. When you do your job well, our lives as consumers are easier. That is not a small contribution. It is fundamental.”
Adedeji congratulated ANLCA on 72 years of existence, describing its longevity as a reflection of its ability to adapt to changes in the customs and trade environment.
He noted that since its establishment in 1954, the association and its members had witnessed significant changes, from manual declarations and paper-based records to increasingly digital customs processes.
He also commended ANLCA for its contribution to the implementation of the National Single Window (NSW) project.
Adedeji, however, said the journey towards a more efficient trade environment was not over, urging ANLCA to continue to embrace change, adopt emerging technologies and champion compliance.
He said artificial intelligence was already being applied globally in areas such as document checking, classification support and risk analysis, adding that customs brokers would need to prepare for the increasing use of such technologies.
On compliance, he said accurate valuation, correct classification and honest declarations were essential to protecting government revenue, the profession and customs agents’ clients.
He urged ANLCA to establish clear professional standards, promote peer accountability and make compliance a core part of customs brokerage.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, represented by the Controller of the Tin Can Island Port Command, Comptroller Joe Anani, reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to its strategic partnership with ANLCA.
Adeniyi said modern trade facilitation and effective regulation could not be achieved by the Customs Service alone, stressing the importance of collaboration with customs brokers and other stakeholders.
He noted that the international trade environment was changing rapidly, with increasing digitalisation, complex supply chains and rising regulatory expectations.
According to him, modern customs agents must be knowledgeable, transparent and committed to accurate information, proper documentation, timely submission of information and compliance with customs procedures.
He urged ANLCA to encourage its members to reject practices capable of undermining legitimate trade or exposing businesses and the economy to unnecessary risks.
“The future of trade is undoubtedly digital. Modern customs agents must be knowledgeable, transparent, and committed to accurate declarations and timely submissions,” he said.
Adeniyi also called on the association to invest continuously in training and capacity building, noting that professional development would become increasingly important as the NCS expands automation, data-driven processes, risk management and inter-agency collaboration.
Earlier in his opening address, the ANLCA National President, Sir Emenike Nwokeoji, called for coordinated reforms of Nigeria’s port system, warning that high costs and inefficiencies in cargo movement could undermine the country’s ambition of becoming a global trading hub.
Nwokeoji said the country could not achieve its trade ambitions while the cost of moving cargo through the ports remained unnecessarily high.
He identified congestion, cargo examination, access roads, truck movement, storage, demurrage, detention, multiple regulatory interventions and fragmented processes as some of the challenges requiring urgent attention.
“Every unnecessary hour that a container spends in the port represents an additional cost. Ultimately, the Nigerian consumers bear that cost,” he said.
He called for a coordinated port reform strategy in which agencies, terminal operators and service providers would be measured against the objective of ensuring that legitimate cargo enters and leaves the country quickly, transparently and efficiently.
Nwokeoji described the National Single Window as one of the major opportunities to transform Nigeria’s international trade environment, but stressed that its implementation must genuinely simplify trade.
According to him, the system should reduce documentation and duplication, improve transparency, minimise unnecessary human intervention and lower the time and cost of doing business.
“ANLCA is prepared to contribute its practical experience to this historic reform,” he said, urging the government to institutionalise the participation of frontline stakeholders in the implementation of the project.
Other stakeholders, including truckers, barge operators, the Maritime Workers Union, the Customs Consultative Council and banks, also commended ANLCA for its contribution to the economy and its resilience over the past 72 years.
A major highlight of the anniversary celebration was the presentation of awards to outstanding stakeholders and regulators.
Nwokeoji presented an award to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adeniyi, in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the Service.
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