The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has taken a historic step forward in border security by launching West Africa’s first geospatial intelligence training program. Partnering with the World Customs Organization and Japan International Cooperation Agency, the initiative brings together customs officers from across the region for specialized skills development. The week-long training in Abuja, which began on June 2, focuses on applying advanced mapping technologies to monitor cross-border activities more effectively.
Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi opened the ceremony by emphasizing how crucial modern technology has become for trade security and fighting transnational crime. He described the program as the result of nearly ten years of continuous partnership and innovation between the participating organizations. While expressing pride in Nigeria’s leadership role, Adeniyi stressed the growing responsibility to counter increasingly sophisticated smuggling networks that exploit modern supply chains.
Representatives from the international partners highlighted the program’s significance for West Africa’s border management challenges. WCO’s Motohiro Fujimitsu called the training transformative for the region’s fragile borders, while JICA’s Yuzurio Susumu reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting modern border control systems. The curriculum specifically targets practical applications of geospatial technology to improve both security operations and trade facilitation processes.
Assistant Comptroller-General Dera Nnadi concluded the opening ceremony by urging participants to fully engage with the training opportunity. He emphasized how these new skills would directly strengthen each country’s border security capabilities. The program represents a major advancement in regional cooperation, setting new standards for how West African nations can harness technology to secure borders while facilitating legitimate trade.
Through hands-on training with cutting-edge mapping tools and analytical techniques, customs officers will develop specialized capabilities to detect and respond to border security threats. The initiative not only addresses immediate operational needs but also builds long-term regional capacity in geospatial intelligence applications. As transnational criminal networks grow more sophisticated, such training becomes increasingly vital for maintaining effective border control systems across West Africa.
The launch of this specialized program demonstrates Nigeria’s growing leadership in customs innovation and regional security cooperation. By investing in advanced technical skills for border personnel, the partners aim to create lasting improvements in how West African nations monitor and secure their shared frontiers. The training’s focus on practical, technology-driven solutions reflects the evolving nature of both security challenges and trade facilitation requirements in the region.