By Innocent Orok
The Nigeria Customs Service in its ongoing engagement with stakeholders to sensitize them on trade facilitation tools on Monday in Lagos organize a stakeholder consultative forum 2025 on import and export procedures for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technologies. The forum focuses on using Advanced Ruling Tool for Renewable Energy Import and Export processes.
The two days event which attracted attendees from World Customs Organization ( WCO), German Embassy, European Union, Kingdom of Netherlands, Federal Ministry of Finance, PUBEC among other international and national organizations was with the theme ” Trade Facilitation Measures for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technologies”.
Delivery his keynote address, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi represented by the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs ,( DCG) in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan highlighted the importance of simplifying complex customs procedures to ensure seamless flow of legitimate trade.
She said “With the increasing volume of global trade, expanding global value chains, and the rise of e-commerce and Just-In-Time services, it has become imperative for Customs administrations to adopt mechanisms that support the seamless flow of legitimate trade. Such mechanisms are essential not only for sustaining international commerce but also for empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to benefit from cross-border trade.
“In the context of customs operations, trade facilitation refers to systems and procedures that streamline the import, export, and transit of goods. This includes simplifying customs valuation, tariff classification, and origin determination, as well as facilitating declaration submission, payment, review, intervention, and release processes. For traders, trade facilitation ensures uniform standards, predictability, and transparency—critical for efficient and timely clearance, ” he said.
Adeniyi outlined several key initiatives undertaken by the NCS following the enactment of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, aimed at simplifying trade processes including the B’Odogwu platform, the Advance Ruling System providing pre-arrival decisions and predictability to traders and the recently launched Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, as well as the Time Release Study.
Adeniyi reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, to fostering investment in sustainable practices, as outlined in Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP).
The NCS, he affirmed, plays a vital role in achieving Nigeria’s net-zero emissions target by 2060 through the facilitation of renewable energy technology imports and the enforcement of supportive fiscal policies.
Key features of the handbook according to the Customs boss include customs regulations, tariff classifications for renewable energy equipment, compliance standards, documentation requirements, and step-by-step import procedures.
The event also witnessed the launch of the NCS import and export procedures handbook for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technologies. A guideline developed by the NCS with support from Nigerian Energy Support Programme ( NESP).
The Customs boss said the handbook will help stakeholders navigate the complexities of importing renewable energy equipment, addressing misunderstandings in tariff classifications and import procedures.
Adeniyi expressed gratitude to the NCS’s partners, including GIZ and the European Union for their collaboration in developing the handbook.
Stakeholders at the event in their goodwill messages commended the Customs for developing the Advance Ruling system, acknowledging it’s efficiency in reducing clearance time.
Speaking, also the President, Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, Ayo Ademilua lauded customs for simplifying the process for importing renewable agency .
He said with the Advanced Ruling programme, importers can get information prior to the arrival of their cargo.
Noting that most of its members rely on information from agents, he suggested more direct interaction between the Nigeria Customs Service, the association and it’s members to enhance understanding of import duties and processes of renewable energy.
“We have over 300 developers and practitioners importing, renewable energy efficiency products. And the only source of information they have is through their agents. So we need more information coming from the Nigeria customs,” he said.
