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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has emerged as one of the country’s top-performing government agencies in trade facilitation after receiving high marks in the 2025 Business Facilitation Act (BFA) Compliance Assessment conducted by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
The assessment, released on Friday, July 3, 2026, ranked the NCS among the best-performing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for meeting compliance standards and improving the speed and efficiency of trade-related services.
Speaking on the report, PEBEC Director-General, Zahrah Audu, said the Customs Service fully complied with the requirements of the Business Facilitation Act while recording significant improvements in the timeliness and responsiveness of its operations.
“The Nigeria Customs Service stood out by meeting all the required standards while recording notable improvements in the timeliness and efficiency of its response to trade-related matters,” Audu said.
She noted that the agency’s performance reflects ongoing efforts to build a more transparent, predictable and business-friendly trading environment, in line with the Federal Government’s drive to improve Nigeria’s ease of doing business.
According to Audu, the recognition is a reflection of the Customs Service’s sustained commitment to operational efficiency, improved stakeholder engagement and service delivery.
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She also disclosed that 98 per cent of the 69 Ministries, Departments and Agencies assessed under the Business Facilitation Act now meet the prescribed service delivery standards, describing the result as evidence that reforms introduced under the Act are yielding positive outcomes across the public sector.
The latest ranking comes amid a series of reforms introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service to modernise customs administration, enhance trade efficiency and reduce bottlenecks at the nation’s ports and borders.
Among the key initiatives are the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System, designed to automate and streamline customs processes; the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, which provides faster cargo clearance for compliant traders; and the Advance Ruling System, which offers importers and exporters greater certainty on customs classification and valuation before goods arrive.
The reforms have helped simplify import and export procedures, reduce cargo clearance delays, improve transparency in customs operations and strengthen predictability for businesses engaged in international trade.
The recognition by PEBEC is expected to reinforce confidence in the Customs Service’s ongoing modernisation agenda and support the Federal Government’s broader objective of creating a more competitive business environment, attracting investment and boosting Nigeria’s participation in regional and global trade.
