Customs, Fire Service, Unilever Sign MoUs to Boost Security, Trade Protection

By Harriet Tornguvan 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Fire Service (FFS) and Unilever Nigeria Plc have signed separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to deepen collaboration, strengthen security, protect legitimate trade and support Nigeria’s economic development.

The agreements were signed on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja, as part of efforts to enhance inter-agency cooperation and foster stronger partnerships between government agencies and the private sector.

Speaking during the engagement with the Federal Fire Service, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the agreement as a “bold, deliberate and strategic step” towards strengthening collaboration between the two agencies.

Adeniyi said the MoU would support their shared mandates of protecting lives, property and critical national assets, while also improving fire safety standards across Customs facilities.

According to him, the agreement would facilitate rapid response to emergencies, promote joint training and capacity building, and strengthen information sharing on fire safety 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 Customs boss said.

The Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Adeyemi, described the agreement as a significant milestone, saying it represented the first strong MoU between the Fire Service and a sister agency.

Adeyemi assured that the FFS would deploy its expertise and resources towards protecting Customs personnel and assets, particularly through improved fire prevention and emergency response mechanisms.

At a separate engagement with Unilever Nigeria Plc, Adeniyi said the partnership demonstrated the Customs Service’s commitment to deepening collaboration with the private sector to address challenges affecting trade and industrial development.

He said the agreement would particularly strengthen efforts to combat counterfeiting through intelligence sharing and improved identification and verification of suspected counterfeit products.

Adeniyi explained that the MoU would establish a structured channel for the exchange of real-time information on trademarks, product identification features, packaging and product samples.

He noted that engagements with private-sector stakeholders had continued to provide useful insights capable of influencing 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 also commended Unilever for its sustained investment, innovation and contribution to employment generation in Nigeria, describing the company as an important partner in the country’s trade and industrial sector.

Speaking on the partnership, Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria Plc, Tobi Adeniyi, highlighted the company’s long-standing presence in Nigeria, dating back to 1923.

He disclosed that more than 70 per cent of Unilever’s raw materials were now sourced locally, while the company supports about 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country.

Tobi commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its ongoing transformation, 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 chief reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working with the NCS to tackle counterfeiting and illicit trade, while expressing readiness to expand the partnership through further engagements across the country.

The separate MoUs are expected to provide a stronger framework for sustained cooperation between the Customs Service, Fire Service and private-sector stakeholders in the areas of safety, security, trade facilitation, intelligence sharing and economic development.