By Tambaya Julius, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Customs Administration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have signed a Joint Declaration to strengthen trade facilitation, border security, capacity building and the fight against transnational organised crime.

The declaration was signed in Brussels on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and the Director-General of Netherlands Customs, Mrs Nanette Van Schelven.

The agreement followed a series of high-level engagements between the two customs administrations on customs modernisation, intelligence sharing, compliance management and enforcement cooperation.

It also builds on the NCS bilateral working visit to the Netherlands in October 2025 and the visit of a Netherlands Customs delegation to Nigeria in March 2026.

During the engagements, both administrations explored areas of cooperation in risk management, cargo clearance systems, trade facilitation, border control, supply chain security, capacity development and the fight against illicit trade.

The Joint Declaration recognised Nigeria’s strategic position as one of West Africa’s leading economies and an important trading partner of the Netherlands.

Both parties noted that stronger customs cooperation and institutional capacity building were necessary to facilitate legitimate trade and combat illegal cross-border activities.

The declaration also raised concerns over the trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, counterfeit goods, wildlife products and weapons, stressing the need for coordinated international responses.

During the signing ceremony, Adeniyi said Netherlands Customs had shown the value of international cooperation in addressing emerging trade and border management challenges.

He said the partnership would strengthen intelligence sharing, improve capacity building, enhance enforcement effectiveness and support efforts to secure international supply chains while facilitating legitimate trade.

According to him, the declaration represents a major milestone in the NCS international cooperation agenda and reflects the strong relationship developed between both customs administrations over the years.

“The partnership will strengthen intelligence sharing, enhance capacity building, improve enforcement effectiveness and support collective efforts to secure international supply chains while facilitating legitimate trade,” Adeniyi said.

Van Schelven said both administrations faced similar challenges in an increasingly interconnected global trading environment.

She said closer cooperation would promote mutual learning, strengthen operational capabilities and improve efforts to combat transnational organised crime, while supporting transparent and efficient trade processes.

The declaration commits both parties to deepen collaboration through the exchange of expertise, training, knowledge sharing and the development of structured cooperation frameworks.

It also provides a basis for developing a joint work plan and future cooperation mechanisms to improve border efficiency, promote fair trade practices, strengthen supply chain security and address challenges associated with legal and illegal cross-border movement of goods.

The agreement is expected to support Nigeria’s customs modernisation drive and reinforce international efforts to secure global trade routes and tackle organised criminal networks.

By David Torough, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has commissioned the newly transformed Premier Hotel in Ibadan, Oyo State, declaring that Nigeria’s economic reforms are beginning to produce tangible results and urging investors to seize emerging opportunities in the country’s evolving economy.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the iconic hospitality facility perched atop Mokola Hill on Thursday, President Tinubu described the hotel’s rebirth as a powerful symbol of heritage preservation, economic renewal, and the resilience of indigenous institutions built by visionary leaders of the old Western Region.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume the President said the extensive modernization of the historic hotel mirrors the ongoing restoration of national landmarks and demonstrates how legacy assets can be repositioned to meet contemporary demands while retaining their historical significance.

“Heritage should not merely be remembered; it should be preserved, strengthened and passed on from one generation to another,” Tinubu said, noting that Premier Hotel remains an important part of Nigeria’s collective history, having hosted distinguished Nigerians and international visitors over several decades.

He praised the founding fathers of the defunct Western Region for establishing institutions that became engines of economic development and commended successive leaders who sustained Odu’a Investment Company Limited through decades of economic and political transitions.

Tinubu also lauded the six shareholder states of Odu’a Investment Company—Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and Lagos—for what he described as their unwavering commitment to preserving and revitalizing one of the region’s most valuable legacy assets.

According to him, the successful transformation of Premier Hotel underscores the importance of collaboration between governments and the private sector in driving economic growth and preserving strategic investments.

“What we are witnessing here today is a triumph of good governance, public sector-private sector collaboration and strategic partnerships,” the President stated.

Highlighting the role of tourism in his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Tinubu said the Federal Government has developed programmes aimed at strengthening the hospitality, arts, culture and creative sectors to make them major contributors to national development.

He explained that the initiatives are designed to boost Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increase foreign exchange earnings and create jobs for millions of Nigerians.

The President assured investors that his administration would continue to implement policies targeted at improving infrastructure, promoting domestic tourism and attracting greater private sector participation in the tourism value chain.

Tinubu used the occasion to defend the economic reforms introduced by his administration over the past three years, insisting that difficult but necessary decisions had helped address structural challenges that previously discouraged local and foreign investments.

“The economy has kicked into gear, and the benefits of all the sacrifices we have made as a people over the last three years have already begun to accumulate,” he said.

The President expressed optimism that Nigerians would begin to experience significant improvements in wages and living standards in the coming months as the gains of the reforms deepen across various sectors of the economy.

He urged citizens and businesses to invest in the country, describing the current period as a critical turning point in Nigeria’s economic history.

“I beckon on us all to take advantage of the beginnings of our economic transformation as a nation to invest in Project Nigeria, and I can assure you that you will be very glad you did,” he said.

Tinubu cited the redevelopment of Premier Hotel as an example of the rewards that come from making bold investments at the right time and expressed hope that Odu’a Investment Company would undertake more transformative projects across the South-West and beyond.

The President further challenged stakeholders to preserve national heritage, create opportunities for young people and build enduring institutions capable of serving future generations.

“The grounds we stand on today epitomize what is possible when vision is matched with commitment, when collaboration delivers results, and when a legacy is repositioned for long-term prosperity,” he said.

He congratulated the board, management, shareholders and stakeholders of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, as well as the people of the six South-West states, for the successful completion of the project.

From Joseph Amedu,  Lokoja

Kogi State governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has vowed to eliminate criminals across the state’s forest zones, declaring that terrorists, bandits and other violent groups will find no safe haven in any part of the forest areas.

The Governor gave the assurance over the weekend, when he visited the Forest Guard training camp in Lokoja.

Ododo  while addressing the newly recruited Forest Guard personnel undergoing training, said that it is part of the state’s forest security initiative aimed at reclaiming forest zones from criminal elements and strengthening rural security operations.

He said the vast forest regions across Kogi State had, in recent years, been exploited by criminal groups as hideouts for attacks and other violent activities, a situation his administration is determined to end through sustained security operations and manpower expansion.

According to him, the recruitment and training of Forest Guards form a key component of a broader strategy to improve surveillance, deny criminals operational space, and enhance response capacity across vulnerable communities.

The governor urged the recruits to demonstrate discipline, patriotism and professionalism in carrying out their duties, stressing that they would play a critical role in securing lives and property.

He explained that the initiative aligns with the Forest Guard Programme approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and being implemented through the Office of the National Security Adviser in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies.

Ododo commended President Tinubu for strengthening national security architecture and also praised National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for coordinating ongoing security reforms across the country.

He also expressed appreciation to the DSS Director-General, Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, for supporting the profiling and training of the Forest Guard recruits to ensure professionalism, discipline and accountability.

The governor stressed that while the state is expanding security manpower, it remains committed to ensuring that only individuals of proven character and integrity are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting communities.

He described the recruits as a vital addition to the state’s security framework and urged them to take their training seriously in preparation for deployment across forested and rural areas.

Ododo reiterated that his administration would continue to deploy all lawful resources, including personnel, equipment and intelligence-driven operations, to ensure that criminal elements are flushed out of Kogi forests.

The governor’s visit came less than 24 hours after he inspected newly acquired Armoured Personnel Carriers procured by the state government to boost the operational capacity of security agencies.

He assured residents that security remains the top priority of his administration, adding that sustained investments would make Kogi State safer, more stable and more conducive for development and investment.
Ends.