Customs partners US gov’t to curb illicit financial flows

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in partnership with the United States Government, has opened a two-day workshop to educate stakeholders on strategies for curbing the illicit movement of currency and monetary instruments across Nigeria’s borders.

The workshop, which opened on Monday, August 17, 2026, in Lagos, brings together representatives from government agencies, ground-handling firms, cargo operators, airline executives, and other key aviation stakeholders.

Declaring the workshop open on behalf of Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi, the Customs Area Controller for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Comptroller Chidi Nwokorie, reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to enforcing the Cross-Border Currency Declaration Regime.

“The movement of currency across an international border is not, in itself, a crime. Legitimate businesses and individuals move funds for legitimate purposes. What the law requires is transparency and compliance with established declaration requirements,” he said.

Comptroller Nwokorie emphasized that regulatory enforcement should not be viewed as an impediment to legitimate commerce or travel, noting that the Service seeks to balance trade facilitation with effective border control.

Speaking earlier, the Director of Finance at the Global Center on Cooperative Security (GCCS), Daniel Grimshaw, highlighted that the training is central to global efforts against terrorism financing and transnational financial crime.

“Aviation, by its very nature, can be an attractive channel for those seeking to move value quickly. That is precisely why your understanding of, and compliance with, the new digital declaration system and the broader legal framework is critical,” he said.

The two-day engagement aims to deepen participants’ understanding of the digital currency declaration platform, improve regulatory compliance, and foster stronger public-private collaboration to intercept illicit financial flows across Nigeria’s borders.