AEO TWG, WCO,World Bank Brainstorm With Customs Tin Can Command

By Roland Ekama 

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Tin Can Island Port Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, welcomed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Authorised Economic Operator Technical Working Group (AEO-TWG), World Customs Organization (WCO) Experts, and representatives from the World Bank Group to his office in Lagos on 28 August 2024.

According to a statement, during the meeting, Comptroller Nnadi reaffirmed his commitment to facilitating the swift clearance of all AEO consignments within the command.

He emphasised that faster cargo clearance, in accordance with the WCO’s guidelines on AEO, would not only enhance revenue generation but also help decongest the ports and bolster cargo security.

He acknowledged the efforts of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, to streamline cargo clearance and facilitate trade in line with international best practices.

“As you all know, I was appointed the chairman of the Time Release Study (TRS) by CGC, and I believe the report will be out in September,” he stated.

The CAC was further quoted stressing the importance of continued WCO and World Bank support in implementing the AEO programme in Nigeria, particularly during this crucial pilot phase.

Responding to his remarks, Pelisa Matyumza, a WCO expert, praised the NCS for its efforts in piloting the AEO programme and assured the WCO’s continued support in its implementation.

ACG Bede Anyanwu (rtd.), a consultant for the World Bank, also pledged the World Bank’s backing for the successful realisation of the AEO programme in Nigeria.

The visit to Tin Can Island Command, according to Nnena Awa, the Team Lead of NCS’s AEO-TWG is part of the ongoing Onsite Validation Mission for the pilot phase of the AEO programme and also to acquire practical knowledge of the validation, which is involving the NCS AEO-TWG, World Bank Group, and WCO experts.

She said, “This mission is critical to ensuring that the AEO programme is effectively piloted, launched and operationalised, paving the way for enhanced trade facilitation in Nigeria”.