The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has commenced a two-week intensive technical training for officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s Advance Ruling system and enhancing capacity in Renewable Energy Classification and the Green Harmonised System (HS) initiative.
The programme is supported by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ).
The training follows the successful rollout of the Advance Ruling programme in Nigeria in May 2024 and forms part of a broader benchmarking and capacity-building initiative for customs modernisation.
This announcement was made known on Saturday morning through the Nigeria Customs Service’s X handle.
Declaring the workshop open, WCO Deputy Director for Capacity Delivery, Sigfrídur Gunnlaugsdóttir, welcomed the Nigerian delegation and reaffirmed the organisation’s support for Customs administrations driving institutional reforms.
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“The World Customs Organisation remains fully committed to supporting member administrations like Nigeria that are advancing their modernisation agenda,” Gunnlaugsdóttir said. “This training will not only strengthen the technical capacity of officers but also enhance predictability and transparency—two pillars that are indispensable in today’s global trade environment.”
Also speaking, Joshua Yari, who represented GIZ, commended the WCO for hosting the programme and making its technical experts available.
“GIZ is proud to partner with the WCO and the Nigeria Customs Service in advancing renewable energy classification and the Green HS initiative,” he said. “Our continued support for Nigeria’s Advance Ruling mechanism reflects our shared vision for economic growth aligned with global sustainability goals.”
Yari noted that enhancing Nigeria’s technical capacity in these areas would boost investor confidence and reinforce the country’s position as a regional leader in trade facilitation and responsible customs administration.
Team Lead for Nigeria’s Advance Ruling System, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Lauretta Utubor, described the training as timely, given the increase in requests for Advance Rulings from traders and importers.
“This training comes at a crucial time when more stakeholders are turning to the Nigeria Customs Service for Advance Rulings,” Utubor stated. “It will further equip our officers to deliver quality, consistent and transparent rulings that meet international standards, while strengthening our knowledge in renewable energy and green trade practices.”
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She added that the delegation will also undertake benchmarking visits to the customs administrations of Germany and the Netherlands to study their systems and apply lessons to Nigeria’s evolving structure.
The training will focus on strengthening classification competencies, improving technical decision-making, and deepening Nigeria’s preparedness for a modern, efficient advance ruling framework that supports trade facilitation, renewable energy development and the global green transition.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
