Nigeria, Royal Malaysian Customs Deepen Engagement as Trade Hits N1.82trn
...Prioritise Bilateral Legal Cooperation Framework
ZAINAB JUNAID
As bilateral trade between Nigeria and Malaysia continues to expand, reaching approximately N1.82 trillion over a five- year period, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has advanced its strategic engagement with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD).
This move underscores the Service’s commitment to strengthen international customs cooperation and enhance trade facilitation.
During an official visit to the RMCD Headquarters, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, emphasised the importance of closer cooperation.
The visit, which took place on the sidelines of the CGC’s participation at DSA Malaysia 2026, comes against the backdrop of expanding bilateral trade, with Nigeria’s imports from Malaysia increasing from NGN159.9 billion in 2020 to NGN716.0 billion in 2024, and cumulative trade value reaching approximately NGN1.82 trillion over a five-year period.
CGC Adeniyi was received by the Director-General of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Dato’ Haji Amran bin Haji Ahmad, whose appointment in March 2026 reflects a strong reform-oriented leadership in enforcement and regulatory administration.
Both leaders held a high-level discussion which focused on institutional collaboration, customs modernisation, and coordinated border management frameworks to strengthen efficiency and regulatory integrity.
The Comptroller-General emphasised that the scale and trajectory of Nigeria–Malaysia trade relations necessitate a more structured and formalised customs-to-customs partnership.
He noted that Malaysia remains a significant trading partner to Nigeria, with key imports including crude palm oil, refined palm olein, jet A1 fuel, food preparations, machinery, and other industrial inputs.
Adeniyi further underscored the critical role of customs administrations in facilitating legitimate trade while safeguarding national economic and security interests.
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While acknowledging the absence of a formal legal framework guiding bilateral customs cooperation despite longstanding trade relations, the two administrations agreed to initiate processes toward establishing a Mutual Recognition Agreement under the framework of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), to be pursued through appropriate diplomatic channels.
This initiative is expected to provide a structured basis for cooperation, enhance mutual trust, and support reciprocal trade facilitation measures.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for the Royal Malaysian Customs Department to present its evolving border management architecture, including the establishment of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) as an integrated frontline border control body.
On his part, the Comptroller-General highlighted the Nigeria Customs Service’s Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme and other trade facilitation frameworks designed to ensure predictable clearance processes, reduce transaction costs, and strengthen compliance.
The two administrations emphasised the importance of deeper collaboration in intelligence sharing, enforcement coordination, and technology-driven border management, particularly in addressing illicit trade and transnational trafficking.
The NCS boss reiterated its commitment to strengthening bilateral and multilateral partnerships as part of its broader modernisation agenda, maintaining that outcomes from this engagement will enhance operational capacity, improve trade facilitation, and reinforce border security while supporting Nigeria’s economic growth objectives.
Similarly, the CGC visited the Nigerian Diplomatic Mission and Defence Office in Malaysia, as part of ongoing efforts to deepen institutional collaboration, commending their roles in advancing Nigeria’s interests and supporting nationals abroad.