Nigeria, UK move to fix £1.2bn trade imbalance, deepen customs ties

Nigeria and the United Kingdom are moving to address a £1.2 billion discrepancy in their bilateral trade records, as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) step up cooperation on data exchange and digital border management.

The move follows a high-level bilateral meeting held in London on March 18, 2026, under the Nigeria–United Kingdom Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP), on the sidelines of President Bola Tinubu’s state visit.

In a statement issued by Abdullahi Maiwada, Deputy Comptroller of Customs and National Public Relations Officer, the NCS said both countries acknowledged “the existence of some gaps in bilateral trade data,” describing it as “a structural issue requiring coordinated resolution.”

“Available statistics indicate that while approximately £504 million in UK-origin goods were recorded as imports into Nigeria in 2024, the United Kingdom reported exports to Nigeria valued at approximately £1.7 billion for the same period,” Maiwada said.

He added that to close the gap, “both parties agreed to explore establishing a structured pre-arrival data exchange framework between their respective digital customs platforms to enhance risk management, improve data reconciliation, and strengthen compliance monitoring.”

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The bilateral talks were led by Bashir Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of Customs, and HMRC’s Head of International Customs and Border Engagement, Megan Shaw, with discussions focusing on customs modernisation, transparency in trade flows, and operational collaboration.

Maiwada quoted Adeniyi as saying “effective customs cooperation remains a critical enabler of economic growth and sustainable trade development,” noting that both countries maintain “a long-standing economic relationship supported by active trade across key sectors, including industrial goods, agriculture, energy, and consumer products.”

He further stated that “Customs administrations serve as the frontline institutions responsible for ensuring that trade flows between both countries are transparent, secure, and mutually beneficial.”

Beyond data reconciliation, Maiwada said the engagement also reviewed advancements in customs technology, including “artificial intelligence-driven trade tools, digital verification systems, and real-time analytics capabilities,” particularly on the UK side.

According to him, “the discussions underscored the importance of deeper collaboration in technology deployment and digital border management,” with both parties agreeing on key outcomes such as “the development of a Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Framework,” “the commencement of technical scoping for capacity-building and knowledge exchange,” and “the establishment of a joint technical engagement mechanism under the ETIP framework.”

The NCS, he said, “reiterates its commitment to deepening international partnerships as part of its broader modernisation agenda to promote transparency, efficiency, and competitiveness in Nigeria’s trading environment.”

Maiwada added that “insights from this engagement will strengthen its operational capacity, enhance trade facilitation, and support Nigeria’s economic reform objectives under the Renewed Hope programme.”