Reforming customs to comply with the current trade facilitation agenda: experience from Nigeria

Abstract

A leader is anyone who occupies position of authority and is responsible for managing one or more persons in order to achieve the goals of a department, organization or agency. It should be noted that some parameters are central to the development process, particularly strengthening the ability of key individuals to lead, drive, manage, monitor and follow up the efforts of achieving organisation’s goals and objectives. It therefore follows that, proactive and positive leadership is essential towards trade facilitation. This paper examines reforms carried out by the present leadership of Nigeria Customs Service (further – NCS) from August 2009 to date enunciated in its SixPoint Agenda which in turn facilitates trade and ensures efficiency. As a result of this, positive results have been achieved from adoption of information and communication technologies (further – ICT) solutions, increase revenue generation and reduction of trade barriers by speeding up the processes. The methodology adopted in the course of this study entails both primary and secondary sources. The primary methods entail the use of interview with selected officers, journalists, stakeholders and the general public. The secondary source includes books, articles, magazines,newspapers, pamphlets, online sources, etc. The paper concludes that the adoption and utilization of the Six-Point Agenda by the current Management has been very effective in trade facilitation. The paper also recommends that the success recorded should be sustained by all stakeholders so as to take the Service to the next level.