The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has led a high-powered delegation of the Nigeria Customs Service,NCS, on a two-day bilateral working visit to the Netherlands.
The move is aimed at deepening cooperation in trade facilitation, port efficiency, and border management between both nations.
Held from October 29 to 31, the visit featured technical engagements, institutional briefings, and strategic meetings with Dutch authorities and Customs experts.
The mission began at the Netherlands Customs Headquarters in Rotterdam, where the Nigerian team was received by senior officials of the Dutch Customs Administration.
The delegation attended a presentation by the National Tariff Classification Team led by Ed Tulp, focusing on tariff and origin procedures within the Dutch system.
An in-depth session on risk management was later delivered by Dennis van der Wolk of the Customs National Tactical Centre.
The presentation highlighted how the Netherlands applies data-driven risk profiling and tactical decision-making in Customs operations to ensure compliance and efficiency.
During a meeting with the Head of International Affairs at the Netherlands Customs, both sides explored areas of collaboration, including inter-agency coordination, capacity-building programmes, and digital trade processes.
CGC Adeniyi praised the Dutch Customs’ structured approach to classification and risk management, describing the sessions as “insightful and practical in showing how systematic collaboration and data intelligence can enhance trade facilitation across borders.”
He reaffirmed NCS’s commitment to international best practices that promote legitimate trade while safeguarding revenue and national security interests.
The delegation also visited Schiphol Airport, where officials of Schiphol Cargo made a detailed presentation on cargo clearance and classification at one of Europe’s busiest air freight hubs.
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Deputy Comptroller-General Caroline Niagwan, who heads the Tariff and Trade Department, lauded the Netherlands’ cargo handling systems, noting that the knowledge gained would aid Nigeria’s ongoing modernisation drive.
Engagements continued at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted by the Director-General of International Trade, Machiel Zweers. Discussions centred on technical assistance, institutional learning, and the creation of a framework for sustained cooperation.
Zweers described the visit as “a new chapter of partnership built on trust and innovation.”
At the Netherlands Ministry of Finance, the two sides reviewed key findings and discussed steps toward formalising collaboration in areas such as tariff classification, risk management, trade facilitation, and gender equity.
Adeniyi described the meeting as “a constructive platform to consolidate lessons learned and translate them into practical frameworks for strengthening Nigeria’s Customs modernisation programme.”
The visit ended with a guided tour of the Port of Rotterdam, where the delegation observed the port’s advanced logistics operations, automated cargo-tracking systems, and intermodal transport networks.
Adeniyi described the tour as “an eye-opener” that demonstrated how synergy between Customs and port authorities can foster seamless trade and revenue growth.
He concluded that the engagement marked a milestone in Nigeria Customs Service’s drive to benchmark global standards. “This visit has given us a clearer picture of how modern Customs administrations can achieve efficiency through partnership, technology, and shared expertise,” he said.
DCG Niagwan also noted that the Netherlands model reflects the value of inclusivity, data intelligence, and institutional trust in building an effective Customs system.
Members of the CGC’s delegation included DCG Caroline Niagwan, Deputy Comptroller Etim Ibok, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, and Assistant Comptroller Lauretta Utubor, among others.
The bilateral mission underscored NCS’s growing commitment to institutional learning and global cooperation under the leadership of CGC Adewale Adeniyi.
Crediblenewsng.com
