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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Fire Service (FFS) and Unilever Nigeria Plc have signed separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen cooperation on security, fire safety, trade facilitation and the fight against counterfeit products.
The agreements were signed on August 27, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja as part of efforts to deepen inter-agency and public-private collaboration and support Nigeria’s economic growth.
Speaking during the engagement with the FFS, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the agreement as a strategic step towards improving cooperation between the two agencies.
Adeniyi said the MoU would help strengthen fire safety standards across Customs facilities, improve emergency response, promote joint training and capacity building, and enhance information sharing on fire prevention and emergency preparedness.
“I am very confident that this MoU will translate to practical actions that save lives, protect government assets, and enhance our collective capacity to respond to emergencies,” he said.
The Controller-General of the FFS, Olumode Adeyemi, described the agreement as a major milestone in the relationship between the two agencies, assuring that the Fire Service would deploy its resources to protect Customs personnel and assets.
In a separate agreement with Unilever Nigeria, Adeniyi said the partnership would deepen Customs’ engagement with the private sector in tackling challenges affecting trade and industrial development.
He said the MoU would strengthen cooperation in combating counterfeiting, intelligence sharing and the identification and verification of suspected counterfeit products.
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According to him, the agreement would also provide a structured channel for Customs to access real-time information on trademarks, product identification features, packaging and product samples.
“Some of the takeaways we get from these engagements with the private sector influence the policies and decisions that we take,” Adeniyi said.
He commended Unilever for its investment, innovation and contribution to employment in Nigeria, describing the company as an important partner in the country’s trade and industrial sector.
The Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria Plc, Tobi Adeniyi, said the company had maintained a presence in Nigeria since 1923 and had localised more than 70 per cent of its raw materials.
He said the company supports about 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country.
Tobi commended the Customs Service for its ongoing transformation, particularly its digitalisation initiatives, the Authorised Economic Operator programme and other trade facilitation measures.
He said previous engagements with the NCS had already produced practical results, including the application of lessons from training involving more than 70 Customs officers.
He reaffirmed Unilever’s commitment to working with Customs to tackle counterfeiting and illicit trade and to expand the partnership through further engagements across the country.
