FTZ : Customs Reinforces Synergy With NEPZA, OGFZA

BY GBOGBOGBA GBOWA

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Comptroller General, Bashir Adeniyi MFR, alongside his Management Team on Friday met with the Directors of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA) to discuss the state of trade in Nigeria and to join forces to take significant steps to improve Nigeria’s Free Trade Zones (FTZ) Operations.

While responding to the calls of the two Organizations, the CGC appreciated their visit to the Headquarters of the NCS to express their mutual concerns about the future of trade in the country; and to also congratulate him on his appointment.

He assured that the Nigeria Customs Service being one of the pillars of the Free Zone Scheme, will continue to work in line with the standard trade facilitation policies to attract a seamless opportunity for business people to invest in the free Zones scheme in Nigeria.

While the Customs boss however assured the leaders of the two body of Customs commitment to work together, he said, “We need to constitute a joint committee between us and some relevant stakeholders to address our common concerns.”

Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Prof. Adesoji Adesoba  speaking on the sideline shortly after the meeting, said that he was personally elated with the way the CGC addressed them and expressed readiness to work assiduously towards achieving their target of improving Free Trade Zones.

Similarly, the Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA), Senator Tijjani Yahya Kaura described the collaboration between the Free Trade Zones and Nigeria Customs as necessary, adding that “our meeting with the CG is fruitful, as it revolves around proffering solutions to our common issues, and I am happy that the Ag. CGC is committed to addressing them.”

The organisations believed their coming together could be a ‘win-win’ situation that would attract investors to Nigerian shores and change the narrative of Free Trade Zones in the country.