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Challenges, Cases and Policy Lessons
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course highlighted a “Lack of adequate Trade support infrastructure & facilities to expedite action on
Trade Facilitation in Nigeria.” (WTO, 2016).
Corridor Objectives and Political Support
There are two major regional cooperating entities in West Africa: The Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS), of which Nigeria is a member, and the West African Economic and Monetary
Union (WAEMU), of which Nigeria is not a member. ECOWAS states have so far “consistently
committed themselves to the financing of designated regional road corridors.” (World Bank, 2009).
“ECOWAS and WAEMU adopted the Regional Road Transport and Transit Facilitation Program aimed
at promoting intra-regional trade and facilitating trans-border movements. This program gives
priority to the “Transcoastal” Lagos (Nigeria)-Nouakchott (Mauritania) and the “Trans-Sahelian”
Dakar (Senegal) - N’Djaména (Chad) corridors. The Abidjan-Lagos coastal corridor was identified as
one of the highest priority corridors for economic and social development in the sub-region due to its
economic and large population that it covers.” (World Bank, 2009).
According to Nigerian Customs, who carry much responsibility in this sector, trade facilitation is one
of their main objectives, while the Government considers it to be an “important element of economic
policy”.80
In 2010 a Task Force on Trade Facilitation was formed by the government. Its goal is “to support the
enforcement of policy on trade facilitation in Nigeria as well as ensure that all barriers to its
implementation were addressed”.81 There are two working groups in the Task Force. One for legal
matters and infrastructure, the other “deals with reduction of costs and time on movements in trade
in goods and services.”. In 2014, the task force was renamed ‘the National Committee on Trade
Facilitation.’ 82
This committee was “reconstituted and re-inaugurated” by the government in 2016. Its main objective
is “to support the enforcement of policies and WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation in Nigeria as well
as ensure that all barriers to its implementation are addressed; and It was also to provide operational
solutions to sea ports, border posts and international airports procedures in line with our national
development strategies, international best practices and obligations in bilateral, regional and
multilateral trade agreements; etc.” (WTO, 2016).
Institutional Framework
The National Task Force, or ‘National Committee on Trade Facilitation’ has many members. Both from
the government and the private sector. The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment is the
chairman and secretariat, the co-chairman is the Nigeria Customs Service. Other members include:
 Federal Ministries of Transport, and Finance;
 National Planning Commission;
 Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC);
 Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA);
 National Agency for Food, Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC);
 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN);
 Nigeria Police Force (NPF);
 Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN);
 Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC);
 Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); (WTO, 2016).
In 2002, Nigeria also set up an “inter-ministerial committee on domestic trade and multilateral trade
matters”. This was done to “monitor and evaluate performance of its national trade policy”. This
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facilitation/national-committee-on-trade-facilitation-nigeria-case-study-th-after-sg.pdf?la=en.