Customs Officially Launches AEO Programme for Trade Facilitation, Opens Registration Portal for Companies
L-R: Managing Director of NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council, Dr Pius Akutah Ukeyima, Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Lagos Commissioner for Commerce, and Customs Board Member, Dr Muda Yusuf at the launching of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme by the customs in Lagos on Friday.
—Certifies LeLook Bags, 5 Other Companies for Contributing N51.1 billion Revenue during Pilot Phase
—SMEDAN, PEBEC, NACCIMA Thumbs Up Adeniyi’s Customs Administration
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially launched its Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, marking a significant step towards trade facilitation in the country.
The launch event, held at the Lagos Continental Hotel on February 14, 2025, also saw the certification of six pioneer companies, including an SME, Lelook Nigeria Limited, for their participation and contribution during the pilot phase.
Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi said the AEO program registration portal for other eligible companies would now be opened from February 17, 2025.
Adeniyi presented AEO certifications to the six companies, commending their integrity and commitment.
“We actually started with 12 potential companies, but along the line, we had to focus on these six,” Adeniyi stated. He expressed confidence that the remaining companies would soon achieve AEO status.
The certified companies are:
• Lelook Nigeria Limited: Owned by Mrs. Chinwe Ezenwa, a leading bag manufacturer in Africa.
• FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC: A dairy product company, producing Three Crowns Milk.
• 11PLC (formerly Mobil Oil Nig. Plc) an indigenous company supplying lubricants.
• First Class Refreshment Ltd: A company packaging and exporting Nigerian snacks like Kilishi.
• Huawei Technology Company Nigeria Limited: A technology provider operating in Nigeria since 1999.
• Ideal Royal Crown Logistics Limited: A logistics company providing end-to-end solution.
Adeniyi highlighted the remarkable success of the pilot phase, noting that the six participating companies saw their collective trade value increase from N185.8 billion in 2023 to N563.8 billion in 2024. Their contribution to customs revenue also grew significantly, reaching N51.1 billion in 2024, contributing to the overall revenue growth from N3.2 trillion in 2023 to N6.1 trillion in 2024.
He emphasized the program’s impact on operational efficiency, stating that the average cargo release time for AEO-certified companies during the pilot phase was 43 hours, surpassing the target of 48 hours and representing a 66.9% reduction compared to the pre-AEO period.
Adeniyi also highlighted the cost savings exceeding N100 million achieved by pilot companies within a quarter. “The true measure of this partnership’s success is beyond the metrics, it is in the quality of relationships we are building,” Adeniyi said. “We are not just working with compliant companies; we are partnering with organizations that uphold the highest standards of business ethics.”
The CGC emphasized that the AEO program aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030 and complements the President’s 8-Point Agenda.
He stressed its potential to support food security, economic growth, job creation, access to capital, and anti-corruption efforts. “Nigeria is positioning itself as a reliable, predictable, and competitive trading partner,” Adeniyi asserted.
Representatives from various organizations lauded the AEO program. Charles Odii, Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), expressed excitement about the program’s potential to benefit SMEs, noting that it could significantly reduce bottlenecks and improve their return on investment.
“Almost immediately, our small business owners would get return on investment because AEO is now in operations today,” Odii stated.
He highlighted the participation of Lelook Nigeria Limited, a 74-year-old SME owner, and First Class Refreshment Ltd, as examples of how the program can empower small businesses.
“It’s a new day in Nigeria with the launch of the Single Window Initiative, with the launch of AEO, and with the reforms and policies that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is putting in Nigeria today,” Odii added.
Dele Kelvin Oye, President of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), stated that the organized private sector has the capacity to generate the needed revenue for 2025 if given the right environment.
“The organised private sector represents 97% of the economy, if you tell us to cover the 13trillion in this year’s budget , it would be through productivity, we cannot borrow ourselves out or increase taxes, but if you want us to, we have the capacity to do it,” Oye said.
Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), affirmed that the AEO program aligns with PEBEC’s mandate and will enhance Nigeria’s trade competitiveness by simplifying customs processes for trusted businesses.
“We believe that the AEO is a significant step in ensuring our business is competitive and sustainable,” Audu stated.
The AEO program website (aeo.nigeriatradehub.gov.ng) is now open for applications from eligible companies.
The CGC encouraged all compliant businesses to apply and participate in this transformative initiative.
The occasion was graced by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu, ably represented by Commissioner for Commerce, the heads of agencies in the maritime sector, including the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council, Dr Pius Akutah Ukeyima Esq.
