By Nkechi Eze
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has called for deeper collaboration and sustained dialogue between the Service and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), stressing that only mutual understanding of each other’s challenges can foster a lasting partnership.
Adeniyi made the remarks on Thursday, September 18, 2025, when the Director-General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadiri, led a delegation of the association on a courtesy visit to the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja. He said the time had come to set a new agenda that transcends immediate concerns, with broader stakeholder buy-in at the heart of sustainable solutions.
“I have always said that the only way for you to appreciate what can bring lasting friendship, collaboration and partnership is when we understand from both sides what the issues are. When you are challenged, you become quite sensitive to everything that will get you out of the situation you find yourself in,” Adeniyi stated.
The Customs Boss commended MAN’s structured processes for harmonising policy positions, where issues are thoroughly debated across its ten sectors and over sixty sub-sectors before being consolidated by its Economic Policy Committee. He underscored that such inclusiveness would enrich engagements between the Service and manufacturers.
Highlighting ongoing reforms by the NCS, Adeniyi pointed to initiatives such as the Authorised Economic Operator programme, Advanced Ruling, the Corporate Social Responsibility framework, the indigenous B’Odogwu platform, and the creation of dedicated special desks to support trade facilitation.
He also disclosed plans for a major stakeholders’ conference in November to chart pathways for the effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). “We are looking forward to a situation where we will set an agenda that goes beyond the issues on the ground. There are a number of initiatives already on course, and we would like MAN to be part of them,” he said.
The CGC assured MAN that the Service was open to wider engagements, including traveling to Lagos to meet manufacturers at their base, adding: “After your consultations, you can get back to us so that we can fix a date and venue for a wider meeting. We need to keep this conversation going without delay.”
On his part, MAN Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadiri, welcomed the renewed engagement, describing Customs as an indispensable partner in tackling Nigeria’s economic challenges. He said, “I am happy that once again we are reigniting what we used to have. Many developments in the economy require us to accelerate this engagement, expand it and make it work.”
Ajayi-Kadiri praised the CGC for his openness to ideas and assured that MAN’s policy positions reflect the realities of manufacturers across the country. He stressed that the association’s focus was on strengthening collaboration, not confrontation, particularly on issues affecting industries under pressure.
Both leaders expressed optimism that sustained dialogue would help address bottlenecks in the trade and manufacturing sectors while creating a stronger platform for driving national economic growth.
