Chioma Vivian James
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade, supporting compliant businesses, and fostering an enabling environment for investment and economic growth.
Adeniyi gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the management of Renaissance Africa Energy Limited to the NCS Headquarters in Abuja on July 8, 2026. The delegation was led by the company’s Vice President, Production, Meshack Maichibi.
Welcoming the delegation, the Customs boss congratulated Renaissance Africa Energy Limited on the successful completion of its corporate transition and emergence as a major indigenous energy player. He described the achievement as a testament to the growing capacity of Nigerians to manage and expand strategic national assets in critical sectors of the economy.
According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to supporting businesses that operate within the ambit of the law while fulfilling its statutory responsibilities of revenue generation, trade facilitation and border security.
Adeniyi noted that ongoing reforms championed through the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) are significantly improving Nigeria’s ease-of-doing-business landscape, creating a more efficient and investor-friendly environment.
“There is a misconception in some quarters that Customs exists to frustrate businesses. That is not who we are. When legitimate businesses grow, Customs also grows. Our responsibility is to facilitate lawful trade while carrying out our statutory mandate,” he stated.
The Comptroller-General further encouraged Renaissance Africa Energy Limited to complete the requirements for the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, describing the certification process as rigorous, transparent and highly beneficial for compliant companies. He explained that AEO-certified organisations enjoy substantial trade facilitation advantages, including faster cargo clearance, improved operational efficiency and stronger regulatory partnerships.
He assured the company that the Service would continue to remove legitimate trade bottlenecks and provide all lawful support necessary to enable compliant businesses to thrive.
Earlier, Renaissance Africa Energy Limited’s Vice President, Production, Meshack Maichibi, disclosed that the company commenced operations in March 2026 following its acquisition of the onshore assets of the Shell Petroleum Development Company. He stated that Renaissance is focused on securing Nigeria’s energy future through strategic investments spanning the upstream, midstream and downstream segments of the oil and gas value chain.
Maichibi emphasised that effective collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service remains critical to the company’s production targets and long-term investment strategy.
“The support we receive from the Nigeria Customs Service is exceptional. The speed of approvals, professionalism of officers, transparent procedures and digitalised processes continue to strengthen our operations. We maintain zero tolerance for duty evasion and look forward to sustained collaboration with Customs across all Commands as we work towards achieving our vision,” he said.
Members of the Renaissance delegation also applauded the Service’s ongoing trade facilitation initiatives, particularly the AEO certification programme, which they described as transparent, efficient and globally aligned. They noted that continuous engagement by Customs officers, improved digital platforms and operational support across various Commands have enhanced compliance, improved business efficiency and reinforced investor confidence.
The visit highlighted the deepening partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service and key private-sector stakeholders, underscoring a shared commitment to promoting trade facilitation, encouraging regulatory compliance and supporting investments that contribute to Nigeria’s energy security and broader economic transformation.
As Nigeria pursues sustainable economic growth and industrial expansion, the collaboration between Customs and strategic investors such as Renaissance Africa Energy Limited is expected to play an increasingly important role in strengthening the nation’s competitiveness, attracting investment and driving long-term national development.
