LAGOS, Nigeria — Liberia has used the 72nd anniversary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) to push for deeper professional cooperation, stronger trade facilitation and greater efficiency across Africa’s customs and port sectors.
Representing Liberia at the anniversary celebration in Lagos, the President of the National Customs Brokers Association of Liberia (NCBAL), James L. Hinneh Jr., delivered a goodwill message that placed customs professionals at the center of Africa’s broader efforts to expand legitimate trade and strengthen economic integration.
Hinneh congratulated ANLCA for reaching 72 years, describing the milestone as a reflection of the association’s resilience and sustained contribution to Nigeria’s customs brokerage and trade environment.
He, however, used the occasion to highlight the growing demands facing customs brokers, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and other actors within Africa’s increasingly interconnected trade system.
According to the NCBAL President, customs brokers should not be viewed simply as agents responsible for processing import and export documentation. He described them as a critical link between governments, businesses, ports and the movement of legitimate goods across national borders.
“Behind every container is a business. Behind every business is a family. Behind every efficient supply chain is an opportunity. If we make legitimate trade move better, we help opportunity move faster,” Hinneh said.
His message emphasized the need for customs and port professionals across Africa to adapt to a rapidly changing global trading environment, where technology, transparency, professional competence, and predictable procedures are increasingly essential to efficient commerce.
Hinneh called for stronger institutional cooperation between NCBAL and ANLCA, including professional exchanges, technical training, mentorship programs, knowledge sharing, digital transformation initiatives and practical engagement on customs and port-related challenges.
He said closer cooperation among professional associations can help create opportunities for customs brokers to learn from one another, strengthen technical capacity and develop practical solutions to common challenges confronting the movement of goods.
Trade Facilitation at the Center
The Liberian customs brokerage leader also linked efficient customs operations to Africa’s wider economic ambitions.
He stressed that efforts toward deeper African economic integration must be supported by efficient ports, transparent customs systems, predictable procedures, competent professionals, modern technology and effective cross-border cooperation.
For Liberia, a country whose economy relies heavily on international trade and maritime activity, improvements in customs and port efficiency can directly affect businesses, consumers,s and government revenue.
Hinneh’s participation in the ANLCA anniversary therefore represents more than a ceremonial engagement, but an opportunity to strengthen professional relationships between customs practitioners in Liberia and Nigeria.
As two West African countries with longstanding commercial and people-to-people ties, Liberia and Nigeria have significant room for expanded professional cooperation in areas connected to trade, shipping, customs administration and logistics.
The NCBAL President said his organization is prepared to transform the goodwill expressed at the anniversary into practical engagement capable of producing measurable benefits for customs professionals and the wider business community.
Building a Connected African Trade Environment
The anniversary gathering brought attention to the broader role of customs professionals in supporting Africa’s economic development at a time when countries across the continent are seeking to reduce barriers to trade and improve the movement of goods.
Hinneh maintained that making legitimate trade faster, more transparent and more predictable requires cooperation not only among governments, but also among the professionals who operate daily within the customs and logistics chain.
He said stronger professional networks can help identify common challenges, exchange workable solutions and promote higher standards across the industry.
The NCBAL President’s message also underscored the importance of ensuring that technological advancement does not leave customs professionals behind, but instead becomes a tool for improving efficiency, accountability and service delivery.
As ANLCA marks 72 years, NCBAL has expressed its readiness to deepen relations with the Nigerian association and pursue areas of mutual interest that can strengthen the profession and support regional commerce.
Liberia Pushes Stronger Africa Trade Cooperation at ANLCA 72nd Anniversary
