The Nigeria Customs Service has strengthened bilateral cooperation with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department to enhance trade facilitation and border management as commercial ties between both countries continue to expand.
The agreement followed a meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and his Malaysian counterpart, Dato’ Haji Amran bin Haji Ahmad, during an official visit to Malaysia on the sidelines of the Defence Services Asia Exhibition and Conference 2026. Both sides held high-level discussions focused on customs modernisation, institutional collaboration, and coordinated border management systems aimed at improving operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.
The engagement comes amid rising trade volumes between the two countries. Nigeria’s imports from Malaysia increased from N159.9 billion in 2020 to N716 billion in 2024, bringing total trade over five years to about N1.82 trillion.
Despite longstanding trade relations, officials noted the absence of a formal legal framework governing customs cooperation. To address this, both parties agreed to begin the process of establishing a Mutual Recognition Agreement under the framework of the World Customs Organization. The agreement is expected to provide a structured basis for collaboration, strengthen trust, and facilitate smoother cross-border trade.
During the visit, Malaysian authorities showcased their evolving border management system, including the establishment of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency, an integrated body designed to streamline frontline border operations.
The Nigerian delegation highlighted ongoing reforms within the customs service, including the Authorised Economic Operator programme, which is aimed at simplifying clearance procedures, reducing transaction costs, and improving compliance for trusted traders.
Both countries also underscored the importance of enhanced cooperation in intelligence sharing, enforcement coordination, and the use of technology to tackle illicit trade and cross-border trafficking.
The Nigeria Customs Service said the outcomes of the engagement are expected to improve operational capacity, strengthen border security, and support broader economic growth objectives.
Malaysia remains a key trading partner for Nigeria, supplying products such as crude palm oil, refined palm olein, jet fuel, and other industrial inputs. Officials noted that the growing scale of trade has made a more structured customs partnership increasingly necessary. As part of the visit, Adeniyi also met with officials at Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in Malaysia, commending their role in supporting bilateral relations and advancing national interests abroad.
