…Says President Tinubu is deploying trade as a key driver of economic development, job creation, and poverty reduction

Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has highlighted that hosting the maiden Customs–Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Conference in Abuja will accelerate economic growth and strengthen Africa’s intra-continental trade.
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‎He also observed that NCS remained committed to fast-tracking Nigeria’s full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
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‎The conference, conceived by the NCS in collaboration with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), will be held from Monday to Wednesday.

‎“President Bola Tinubu has made it very clear that his administration intends to use trade to promote economic development and alleviate poverty”

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‎Briefing journalists at the State House, Abuja, on Friday, Adeniyi said President Bola Tinubu had issued clear directives to deploy trade as a key driver of economic development, job creation, and poverty reduction.
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‎“President Bola Tinubu has made it very clear that his administration intends to use trade to promote economic development and alleviate poverty.”
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‎“Seeing the potentials we have in trade, and in the policy thrust documents, you will see specific policies that speak to the promotion of Nigeria re-establishing itself as a trade hub,” he said.

“We need to invest more in port infrastructure and join the league of Customs administrations leveraging the single window”

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‎The Customs Boss said the administration’s priorities include port decongestion, infrastructure renewal, and the deployment of modern platforms such as the national single window to enhance competitiveness.
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‎“That policy thrust talks about the fact that we need to decongest our port areas.”
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‎“We need to invest more in port infrastructure and join the league of Customs administrations leveraging the single window.”
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‎“These are all elements that speak to one major issue: we need to give more attention to intra-African trade,” he said.
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‎Adeniyi said AfCFTA implementation formed part of the key performance indicators assigned to him by the President.
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‎He added that engagements had been held with customs administrations across Africa and the AfCFTA Secretariat to ensure customs agencies played their central role in the agreement.
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‎“Last week, I was in Ghana to have a brief meeting with the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA to let him understand that Customs is now ready to play its role and fulfil its mandate in the implementation of the regional economic grouping,” he said.
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‎The NCS boss said the customs authorities remained pivotal in enforcing rules of origin, granting trade preferences, and implementing the phased elimination of duties across African countries.
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‎The Customs CGC said lessons from the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme underscored the need for stronger collaboration between customs agencies, economic operators, and institutions involved in cross-border trade.
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‎Adeniyi said Tinubu’s emergence as Africa’s Champion of Intra-African Trade and Nigeria’s selection to host the next Intra-African Trade Fair had further boosted the drive by agencies such as NEPC and NEXIM to push more Nigerian exports into African markets.
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‎He confirmed that more than 30 African customs administrations had registered for the conference, several at the Director-General level, while private-sector participation remained the largest bloc, including manufacturers, logistics firms, airlines, and shipping companies.
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‎Adeniyi said the conference would open with a session dedicated to the private sector to address non-tariff barriers and operational challenges affecting cross-border trade.
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‎On revenue performance, he said that while revenue collection remained key, the NCS had also strengthened its national-security and trade-facilitation roles through modern tools that enabled major interceptions of drugs, arms, and ammunition.
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‎He stated that these reforms contributed to revenue increases of 70 percent in 2023 and 101 per cent in 2024.
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The C-PACT, supported by the World Customs Organisation, seeks to reposition African trade by promoting cooperation, transparency, and agility within customs systems to expand lawful trade and drive sustainable development.

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…Following the backup engine’s sudden loss of power

Total commitment by the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to ensure the unfettered safety of passengers on the Abuja – Kaduna afternoon service, which resulted in an 80-minute delay, has been misunderstood by some Nigerians.

The delay, which already elicited genuine apologies by the NRC Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, was caused when the backup engine of the train suddenly lost power moments after the train departed. The Maritime First learnt that the management subsequently made a procedural safety decision: prioritising the protection of passengers’ lives and wellbeing.

It was alleged that some passengers felt stranded in the process.

Affirming his personal and dedicated commitment to passengers’ safety, the Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, described as misleading the report which indicated that passengers on the train were at any point stranded by the corporation.

“Though the train can push through, for security concerns on the route and since they are less than 30 minutes into the journey, it is advisable to pull back to Rigasa, Kaduna, for safety reasons,” Dr Opeifa said.

It would be recalled that a few years back, bandits or terrorists had gleefully attacked innocent passengers on that same route, during an afternoon raid, killing and kidnapping, before making their unholy escape.

Once beaten, twice, the Corporation reiterated its premium on safety at all times, stressing this as the informed reason why the train returned to Kaduna, the moment it was discovered that the back-up engines were losing power.

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The journey, however, resumed at 4.00 pm (60 minutes later) and arrived at Idu at 18.52 hours. Eighty minutes behind schedule. 

“Passengers were kept informed through Public Address Systems (PAS) on the train and at the Rigasa Station”, the NRC Boss further explained, and likened it to what happens to an aircraft that proceeds to the nearest airport rather than to its destination when one or both engines fails, adding that if it was morning trip, the train would have proceeded and shunt at the nearest train stations (Jere, Rijana or Gidan) but decided against it because it was an evening trip.

The Managing Director apologised for the inconveniences experienced by the passengers, even as he urged the nation’s media houses to always clarify any reports they had before rushing out to publish, to avoid misinforming their critical readers. 

The Managing Director reassured passengers and stakeholders that the NRC remains meticulously committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and reliability across all its corridors, whether the narrow or standard gauges, adding that the corporation remains dedicated to taking all its esteemed passengers to their destinations safely.

…EFCC hands over N104.1m recovered fund to the Niger Govt

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Special Night Gang Patrol Team has apprehended the driver of a heavily loaded truck after crushing his motor boy to death.

The statement was signed by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, Mr Adebayo Taofiq.

Bakare-Oki said the incident took place at the Ogolonto Traffic Light Intersection, inward Ikorodu Roundabout.

“The ghastly incident occurred at approximately 11.00 p.m., when LASTMA’s vigilant night-duty personnel, who were on a routine patrol for traffic regulation and monitoring within the Ikorodu corridor, swiftly intervened upon witnessing the horrific scene.”

“Second preliminary findings from the joint security investigation revealed that the deceased motor boy had alighted from the moving loaded truck.”

“He alighted to assist the driver in stabilising the truck by placing a wooden plank beneath its tyres, as the braking mechanism of the vehicle was reportedly defective.”

“In the course of this effort, the unfortunate motor boy slipped and fell beneath the rear tyres, which ran over him, resulting in his instantaneous and tragic death,” he said.

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The GM said LASTMA officers cordoned off the accident scene to forestall further chaos.

He said officers ensured the safety of other road users, while operatives of the Ipakodo Police Division were swiftly contacted and arrived at the scene to take over the case.

“The apprehended truck driver was formally handed over to the police for further interrogation and investigation.”

“The remains of the deceased were conveyed by police operatives to the General Hospital, Ikorodu, for proper deposition, “ he said.

Bakare-Oki expressed profound grief over the sad occurrence and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

He also admonished truck drivers and commercial transport operators to undertake regular mechanical inspections of their vehicles, particularly the braking systems, before setting out on any journey.

“Mechanical negligence and poor vehicle maintenance pose severe risks, not only to the operators themselves, but also to the lives of innocent road users,” the manager said.

In another development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over the sum of ₦104,091,162.46 to the Niger State Government.

Its Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

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According to him, the official handover took place on Wednesday at the EFCC’s Office in Ilorin.

Oyewale said that the development was sequel to the successful recovery of the funds from Kiara Rice Mills Limited, located in Kpatsuwa Village, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.

”The recovered sum represents the company’s unremitted tax liabilities accrued between 2021 and 2024.”

”The commission, in February, received intelligence indicating that the multi-billion-naira company had failed to remit its full tax obligations, in spite of operating profitably within the state.”

He said that the act was a clear violation of both federal tax laws and Niger State revenue regulations.

”Upon investigation by the Foreign Exchange Malpractice Section of the EFCC, the commission confirmed the infractions and secured full recovery of the outstanding taxes.”

Speaking during the presentation ceremony, the EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, reaffirmed the commission’s resolve to ensure that public funds are duly accounted for and returned to legitimate owners.

He was represented by the Ilorin Zonal Director, Commander of the EFCC, Dr Ansalem Ozioko.

“The function of the EFCC is to prevent, investigate, and prosecute economic and financial crimes, recover what was stolen, and return it to the rightful owners.”

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”That is exactly what we are doing here today,” Olukoyede said.

He called for sustained collaboration between the Niger Government and the EFCC, emphasising the need for transparency, accountability, and integrity in governance.

“We urge you to continue partnering with the Commission and to be ambassadors of the EFCC by reporting any act that fails the integrity test,” he said.

Alhaji Aminu Bawa, Group Head of Tax Operations at the Niger State Internal Revenue Service, received the fund on behalf of the Niger State Government.

Bawa commended the EFCC for its diligence and professionalism.

“On behalf of the Niger State Government, I wish to express our sincere appreciation to the Commission for this commendable recovery effort.”

”This development will have a direct and positive impact on the lives of our people,” he said.

He said that the recovered sum would be credited into the state government’s account and deployed for developmental projects across Niger State. 

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