Abuja: The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strengthened its bilateral ties with the Netherlands in trade facilitation and compliance management.
This followed a two-day visit by the NCS delegation led by the Comptroller-General (C-G), Bashir Adeniyi.
This is contained in a statement by the NCS Spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, on Sunday in Abuja.
Maiwada stated that the visit aimed to strengthen cooperation on trade facilitation, port efficiency, and border management between the two countries.
He stated that during the visit, the delegation undertook a series of high-level technical engagements, institutional briefings, and strategic meetings with Dutch authorities and customs experts.
Maiwada said the delegation attended a presentation by the National Tariff Classification Team (TeamLTT) led by Ed Tulp, which focused on tariff and origin procedures within the Dutch system.
“This was followed by an in-depth session on Risk Management, delivered by Dennis van der Wolk of the Customs National Tactical Centre (DLTC).
“It highlighted the Netherlands’ model for risk profiling, cargo monitoring, and tactical decision-making in Customs operations.
“Afterwards, the NCS team held a meeting with the Head of International Affairs at the Netherlands Customs, where discussions centred on enhancing inter-agency coordination, capacity-building exchange programmes, and digital trade processes,” he said.
Maiwada quoted the C-G as commending the Dutch Customs’ structured approach to classification and risk management during one of the sessions.
“The presentations have been particularly insightful in showing how systematic collaboration and data-driven analysis can enhance compliance and trade facilitation across borders.
“The NCS remains committed to adopting international best practices that balance enforcement with facilitation, ensuring that legitimate trade thrives while revenue and security interests are safeguarded,” Adeniyi stated.
According to Maiwada, officials of Schiphol Cargo made a detailed presentation to the delegation on cargo clearance and classification systems at one of Europe’s busiest air freight hubs.
He said the session provided a firsthand understanding of the Netherlands’ use of automation, pre-arrival processing, and coordinated border management in handling high-volume air cargo.
Maiwada said that during a bilateral session at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both countries discussed frameworks for technical assistance and knowledge exchange.
He said the delegation also held a high-level meeting at the Netherlands Ministry of Finance, which explored mechanisms to formalise a collaborative agreement in areas such as tariff classification, risk management, trade facilitation and gender equity.
Maiwada quoted the C-G describing the wrap-up meeting as a “constructive platform to consolidate lessons learned and translate them into practical frameworks that would strengthen Nigeria’s Customs modernisation programme and compliance culture.”
According to Maiwada, the delegation toured the Port of Rotterdam (Portlandis), where they were briefed on the port’s integrated logistics operations, advanced cargo-tracking systems, and intermodal transport models.
He said that the C-G described the tour as an eye-opener on how synergy between customs and port authorities could create an enabling environment for seamless trade and revenue optimisation.
He said that the visit underscored the NCS’s strategic resolve to align its operations with global standards.
“This engagement has provided us with a clearer picture of how modern Customs administrations can achieve efficiency through partnership, technology, and shared expertise,” he said.
The visit, grounded in cooperation, mutual respect, and institutional learning, reinforces the NCS’s commitment to transforming its processes in line with global best practices.
