Mohammed Shosanya
Nigeria Customs Service,is partnering with the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA) on steps to improve Nigeria’s free trade zones operations in the country.
The partnership came to the fore when the Acting Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi at the weekend,met the Directors of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA).
Adeniyi,while responding to the calls of the two organizations,appreciated them for visiting the Headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service to congratulate him on his appointment and sought to review their mutual concerns about the future of trade in the country.
He assured that the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS), as one of the spines 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.
He said: “We need to constitute a joint committee between us and some relevant stakeholders to address our common concerns.”
The Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Prof. Adesoji Adesoba,said that he was personally elated with the way the Customs’ boss addressed them and expressed readiness to work assiduously towards achieving their target of improving Free Trade Zones.
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”.