Tinubu: Nigeria’s Resolute About Building Efficient Borders Across Africa

* Says fragmented markets are threats to border efficiency

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu on Monday reiterated Nigeria’s resolve to work towards building an Africa where borders are efficient enough to facilitate trade and other economic opportunities instead of hindering them.

He therefore implored African nations to be disciplined in working towards building borders that meet the high demands and rapid pace of contemporary technological advancement.

Speaking in Abuja while declaring open the Customs Pact – Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade, the president expressed delight to be a part of the event, which brought together partners and leaders from across the continent, saying it demonstrates the collective resolve to discard the old habit of accepting slow borders as destiny.

Tinubu, who was represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, said while nations exist to complement one another, size, resources and talent are inconsequential if they are trapped behind inefficient borders and fragmented markets.

“Nigeria remains firmly committed, structurally and operationally, to building an Africa that trades by design, where integration is practical, measurable and effective. Our ambition is simple: a continent where borders facilitate opportunities rather than inhibit them,” he declared.

Maintaining that “fragmented markets cannot achieve industrial scale, negotiate effectively with global powers, or withstand external shocks”, the president noted, however, that integration “enables large-scale industrialisation, collective bargaining strength and resilient supply chains”.

Nigeria, according to him, is approaching this responsibility with practical systems and infrastructure rather than rhetoric, even as he said the strength of a continental market can only be engineered and not declared.

Tinubu stated that while Africa had already taken the hardest step by agreeing on integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), what is crucial at the moment is execution.

“Success will be judged not by communiqués but by real outcomes: shorter border-crossing times, reliable local-currency settlements and efficient movement of goods across borders and ports. Our vision must translate from conference halls to the daily experiences of traders, manufacturers, logistics operators and farmers,” he maintained.

The president recalled that the urge to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians informed his administration’s decision to reform “structural barriers to trade and investment, removing bottlenecks that limit competitiveness and rebuilding institutions for efficient regional integration”.

In achieving this, he said the administration quickly embarked on unifying the foreign exchange window, removing fuel subsidies to redirect resources to critical infrastructure, and modernizing port operations with 24-hour clearance.

Tinubu further said: “We adopted the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System to boost intra-African trade, and we prioritised non-oil export growth across key sectors. These reforms reinforce one another, creating a coherent foundation for stronger continental commerce and competitiveness. Each decision was a step towards a Nigeria that trades with confidence and an Africa that negotiates from a position of strength.

“We believe that our institutions have been deliberately aligned into a unified trade-enablement architecture, dismantling the traditional silos that once separated agencies. The Nigeria Customs Service now advances digital clearance systems and risk-based inspections.

“The Nigerian Ports Authority drives port efficiency. The Central Bank enables local-currency settlements through PAPSS. The Standards Organisation harmonises product standards with continental frameworks. NEPC and NEXIM Bank strengthen export readiness and provide targeted financing.

“This coordinated, integrated institutional approach is essential for successful continental integration, for no single agency can deliver the scale of reform required for Africa’s prosperity.”

On the level of impact of the collective reforms on the nation’s economy, the president said: “It is measurable, demonstrable and progressively accelerating.

“Intra-African trade is projected to expand from 15 per cent in 2023 to 25 per cent by 2030 under AfCFTA frameworks. Nigeria’s non-oil exports to African markets increased 38 per cent year-on-year in 2024. Cargo clearance time at major seaports has reduced by approximately 30 per cent since 2023.

“Paper-based compliance processes are being systematically replaced through digital trade reforms and automation. These metrics validate a fundamental principle: when structural barriers fall and systems function predictably, African trade expands rapidly and dynamically. Outcomes are never in doubt when processes are disciplined,” he also stated.

Tinubu described the National Single Window as central to Nigeria’s continental trade strategy, assuring the audience that phase one of the transformative digital platform will go live in March 2026, “with full rollout by December 2026”.

“It will allow businesses to submit import and export information once through a unified portal, automate inter-agency data sharing and real-time processing, apply risk-based compliance to speed up clearance for legitimate traders, and cut cargo clearance time from 21 days to under seven.

“This will significantly boost port productivity. Fully aligned with AfCFTA digital frameworks, the National Single Window positions Nigeria as a continental standard-bearer for customs digitalisation and seamless intra-African commerce,” the president said.

Earlier, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, represented by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, urged relevant authorities in Africa to continue to dismantle barriers that hinder trade and revenue generation.

She stressed that the Federal Government of Nigeria remains committed to supporting modernisation initiatives within customs administrations and aligning with global best practices aimed at creating a business-friendly environment.

The minister further expressed Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring that AfCFTA delivers tangible benefits for citizens, while improving the ease of doing business at the borders.

On her part, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said that under President Tinubu’s decisive leadership, the administration has achieved a unified exchange rate, strengthened fiscal discipline, and is on course to accelerate regional economic integration under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

She maintained that Nigeria’s commitment to AfCFTA implementation remains unwavering, while urging participants to build an Africa that trades more with itself.

Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Ian Saunders, applauded ongoing reforms by the Tinubu administration, assuring Nigeria that the WCO stands with it in facilitating legitimate trade.

He also praised heads of Africa’s Customs for their efforts in incorporating modern standards into their operations, adding that leadership, investment and consolidating gains in customs administration remain valuable.

Executive Vice-President of Afreximbank, Kanayo Awani, backed modernisation as a positive initiative adopted by several customs administrations, including Nigeria.

On his part, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, urged relevant authorities and stakeholders to adopt cross-country trade facilitation and integration, emphasizing, “we cannot continue to work in silos.”

According to him, the primary outcome of the engagement in Abuja, which involved all African regions, is to ensure that customs administrations are more actively engaged in AfCFTA implementation, while strengthening dialogue and mutual understanding between customs administrations and the private sector across the continent.

Also, the Secretary-General of AfCFTA, Wamkele Mene, stated that the Secretariat will work closely with the NCS to ensure that the objectives of C-PACT unfold into a pleasant reality.

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November 17, 2025
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BPP DG: Why Nigeria Needs Sustainable Procurement

The Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr Adebowale Adedokun, has said that Nigeria needs sustainable procurement to reduce waste, promote social equity, minimise environmental harm and strengthen governance and transparency.

He spoke on Monday at the International Conference on Sustainable Procurement.

The event was organised by the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Centre of Excellence (SPESSCE), University of Lagos.

The conference had the theme: ‘Enhancing Sustainable Development Impact through Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards.’

The SPESSCE, UNILAG is an initiative of the World Bank and the Federal Government through the National Universities Commission (NUC).

It is one of the six of such centres in Nigeria.

Adedokun said sustainable procurement would ensure economic efficiency, social responsibility and environmental protection, aligning national practices with global development goals and long-term value creation.

He noted that while the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 did not expressly mention sustainability, its objectives supported fairness, efficiency and prudent resource use.

He added that procurement accounted for up to 17 per cent of global gross domestic product, making sustainability an urgent priority for responsible governance worldwide.

According to Adedokun, the Bureau’s core roles include policy formulation, regulatory oversight and ensuring compliance with approved procurement thresholds.

He said the BPP also drove capacity building for procurement officers and maintained a national contractor database to promote integrity and transparency.

On 2025 strategies, he said all MDAs must upload procurement plans on NOCOPO and publish contract awards to ensure accountability in public spending.

He warned that BPP would not process 2025 procurements if MDAs failed to upload records for the past two years.

Adedokun listed offences under the PPA to include collusion, bid rigging, fraudulent documentations, contract splitting and refusal to provide procurement records.

“Between January 2025 and now, recent reforms have led to N350 billion in potential savings.

“We have also improved transparency, and expanded the participation of local and women-led enterprises.

“Also, for the first time, a debarment process has been approved by the current administration to debar contractors who do the wrong things,” Adedokun said.

He, however, identified capacity gaps, noting that budget constraints, resistance to change and manipulation of bid processes were barriers to sustainable procurement.

He stressed the need for improved cash backing, strict enforcement of sanctions, updated contractor databases and sector-based procurement frameworks to address the challenges.

Adedokun also urged partners, including the University of Lagos, to support research on sustainability metrics and help to develop training programmes for environmental sustainability and governance-focused procurement.

On the role of local governments, he said the BPP was developing a procurement framework that would bring the three tiers of government on the same page.

This, he said, would enable the bureau to effectively monitor projects being done at the local government level.

“We are also working closely with financial bodies to ensure that monies released to local governments are implemented with the project they are meant for.

“Interestingly, we are also developing what is called Community Based Procurement that is targeted towards people at the grassroots level to be able to give them a sense of belonging in procurement processes for this country,” he said.

Adedokun reaffirmed BPP’s commitment to deepening collaboration with the academia, innovators and global partners to advance sustainable procurement nationwide.

Earlier, in her welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, said the conference came at a critical moment in the country’s national, regional and global development journey.

Represented by Prof. Muyiwa Falaiye, her Deputy (Management Services), Ogunsola said the world was witnessing unprecedented investments in infrastructure, climate adaptation, social protection and technological transformation.

She, however, said that setbacks from environmental degradation and social conflict, among others, had continued to emerge where procurement, environmental and social safeguards were weak or inconsistently implemented.

“This gathering provides an important platform to reflect, learn and collaborate on how we can strengthen the procurement environmental and social systems that underpin sustainable development.

“At the University of Lagos, we firmly believe that knowledge institutions must serve as engines of national transformation,” she said.

According to her, the establishment of the UNILAG SPESSCE positions the university, not only as a hub for capacity building, but also as a regional leader advancing research, policy innovation and professional training.

She lauded the diversity of the conference participants, saying that sustainable procurement and safeguards would not exist in silos.

She said that they would require collective ownership, shared accountability and a harmonised vision. (NAN)