ZAINAB JUNAID
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is set to launch its Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme on February 14, 2025, and has called on stakeholders to collaborate with the service to ensure its success.
During a Sensitization programme held in Lagos on Wednesday, 15 January 2025, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, represented by Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG), Kingsley Egwuh, informed that the AEO programme is designed to streamline trade procedures, enhance supply chain security, and promote transparency and predictability in the trading environment.
Egwuh stated that the pilot phase of the AEO programme, which was launched on April 15, 2024, has provided valuable insights into stakeholders’ needs and expectations.
He noted that the pilot phase involved six pilot beneficiaries across diverse sectors.The NCS has assured stakeholders that most companies will be admitted into the scheme by the time it is launched.
However, Egwuh emphasized the importance of compliance and self-auditing, stating that companies must take responsibility for their own compliance.
The AEO programme is expected to have a significant impact on Nigeria’s trading environment, with benefits including improved clearance processes, cost savings, and enhanced competitiveness. This will ultimately lead to increased trade facilitation and economic growth.
Stakeholders have praised the NCS for its efforts in modernizing trade facilitation and promoting transparency and predictability in the trading environment.
The AEO programme is seen as a major step forward in Nigeria’s efforts to simplify and streamline its trade procedures.
As the launch date approaches, the NCS is urging stakeholders to get ready for the AEO programme, which promises to revolutionize Nigeria’s trading environment, and with its focus on transparency, predictability, and cooperation, the AEO programme is set to take Nigeria’s trade facilitation to the next level.
