The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has led a delegation from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to the Netherlands for a two-day bilateral working visit aimed at strengthening cooperation on trade facilitation, port efficiency, and border management between both countries.
The visit, held between October 29 and 31, featured a series of high-level technical engagements, institutional briefings, and strategic meetings with Dutch authorities and Customs experts.
The mission began at Laan op Zuid, the Dutch Customs Headquarters in Rotterdam, where the Nigerian delegation was received by senior officials of the Netherlands Customs Administration.
During the visit, 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.
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This was followed by a detailed session on risk management, delivered by Dennis van der Wolk of the Customs National Tactical Centre (DLTC), highlighting the Netherlands’ model for risk profiling, cargo monitoring, and tactical decision-making in Customs operations.
The NCS team also met with the Head of International Affairs at the Netherlands Customs to discuss enhanced inter-agency coordination, capacity-building exchange programmes, and digital trade processes.
Speaking during the sessions, CGC Adeniyi commended the Dutch Customs’ structured approach to classification and risk management, describing the engagements as “particularly insightful in showing how systematic collaboration and data-driven analysis can enhance compliance and trade facilitation across borders.”
He reaffirmed that the Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to adopting international best practices that balance enforcement with facilitation, ensuring legitimate trade thrives while revenue and security interests are safeguarded.
The delegation later visited Schiphol Airport, where officials of Schiphol Cargo made a presentation on cargo clearance and classification systems at one of Europe’s busiest air freight hubs. The session provided firsthand insight into the Netherlands’ use of automation, pre-arrival processing, and coordinated border management in handling high-volume cargo.
Deputy Comptroller-General Caroline Niagwan, who heads the Tariff and Trade Department, commended the Netherlands’ structured processes, noting that “the practical insights gained here will be instrumental in improving Nigeria’s own cargo handling systems, especially within our ongoing modernisation drive.”
The engagement continued at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted by Director-General of International Trade, Mr. Machiel Zweers, where both sides discussed frameworks for technical assistance and knowledge exchange. Zweers reaffirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to mutual learning, describing the visit as “a new chapter of institutional partnership built on trust and innovation.”
The visit wrapped up with a high-level meeting at the Netherlands Ministry of Finance, where both parties reviewed key observations and explored mechanisms to formalise collaboration in areas such as tariff classification, risk management, trade facilitation, and gender equity.
CGC Adeniyi described the meeting as “a constructive platform to consolidate lessons learned and translate them into practical frameworks that will strengthen Nigeria’s Customs modernisation programme and compliance culture.”
The delegation also toured the Port of Rotterdam, where members were briefed on the port’s integrated logistics operations, advanced cargo-tracking systems, and intermodal transport models. The CGC described the tour as “an eye-opener on how synergy between Customs and port authorities can create an enabling environment for seamless trade and revenue optimisation.”
In his closing remarks, CGC Adeniyi emphasised that the visit symbolised the Nigeria Customs Service’s strategic intent to benchmark 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.
Similarly, DCG Niagwan noted that “the Netherlands model demonstrates that inclusivity, data intelligence, and inter-agency trust are indispensable elements of an effective Customs system.”
The visit, anchored on cooperation, mutual respect, and institutional learning, reinforces the NCS’s commitment to transforming its operations in line with global best practices under the leadership of CGC Adewale Adeniyi.
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