Customs, Fire Service, Unilever Sign MoUs to Strengthen Trade, Safety and Economic Growth


By Aviashima Toom, Abuja 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Fire Service (FFS) and Unilever Nigeria PLC have signed separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen collaboration on trade facilitation, safety, intelligence sharing, counterfeiting prevention and economic development.

The agreements were signed on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking during the signing ceremony with the Federal Fire Service, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the agreement as a strategic step towards strengthening inter-agency cooperation and advancing the shared responsibility of both agencies to protect lives, property and critical national assets.

Adeniyi said the MoU would enhance fire safety standards across Customs facilities, facilitate rapid response to emergencies, promote joint training and capacity building, and improve 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,” the CGC said.

The Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Adeyemi, described the agreement as a significant development in the relationship between the two agencies, saying it would enable the Fire Service to deploy its expertise and capacity towards protecting Customs personnel and assets.

In a separate engagement with Unilever Nigeria PLC, Adeniyi said the partnership underscored the Customs Service’s commitment to deeper collaboration with the private sector in tackling challenges affecting trade and industrial development.

He said the agreement would strengthen cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting, intelligence sharing, and the identification and verification of suspected counterfeit products.

According to him, the MoU would provide a structured platform for the exchange of real-time information on trademarks, product identification features, packaging and product samples, thereby strengthening Customs’ capacity to detect and prevent the entry and circulation of counterfeit goods.

Adeniyi noted that engagements with private-sector stakeholders had continued to provide valuable insights into the challenges confronting businesses and often influenced Customs policies and operational decisions.

“Some of the takeaways we get from these engagements with the private sector influence the policies and decisions that we take,” he said.

The CGC commended Unilever for its sustained investment, innovation and employment generation in Nigeria, describing the company as an important partner in the country’s trade and industrial development.

Speaking on the partnership, the Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria PLC, Tobi Adeniyi, said the company’s long-standing presence in Nigeria, dating back to 1923, had been built around sustained investment and efforts to deepen local production.

He disclosed that more than 70 per cent of Unilever’s raw materials had been localised, adding that the company supports about 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in Nigeria.

Tobi Adeniyi commended the NCS for what he described as significant transformation within the Service, particularly its digitalisation initiatives, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme and other measures aimed at facilitating legitimate trade.

He said previous engagements between Unilever and the Customs Service had already produced practical results, including the application of lessons from training involving more than 70 Customs officers.

The Unilever managing director reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working with the NCS to combat counterfeiting and illicit trade, while expressing readiness to expand the partnership through further engagements across the country.

The separate agreements underscore the growing emphasis by the Nigeria Customs Service on partnerships with government agencies and private-sector stakeholders as part of efforts to strengthen border security, facilitate legitimate trade, protect consumers and support industrial growth.

For the Customs Service, the partnerships also represent a broader approach to its mandate, combining enforcement and revenue responsibilities with collaboration, intelligence sharing and trade facilitation in support of Nigeria’s economic development.

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