Customs, Fire Service, Unilever Forge Strategic Partnerships to Boost Safety, Trade and Anti-Counterfeiting Efforts

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Fire Service (FFS), and Unilever Nigeria PLC have strengthened their commitment to protecting lives and property, facilitating legitimate trade and tackling illicit activities through separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed in Abuja.

The agreements were signed on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters, Abuja, as part of efforts to deepen inter-agency cooperation and public-private partnerships in support of Nigeria’s economic development.

Speaking during the signing ceremony with the Federal Fire Service,

Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the MoU as a “bold, deliberate and strategic step” towards strengthening collaboration between the two agencies.

According to him, the partnership would support their shared responsibility to protect lives, property and critical national assets, while improving fire safety standards across Customs facilities.

He said the agreement would facilitate rapid emergency response, joint training and capacity building, as well as improved 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,” Adeniyi 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 the Customs Service that the FFS would deploy its capabilities to protect Customs personnel, facilities and other assets.

Customs, Unilever Partner Against Counterfeiting
In a separate engagement with Unilever Nigeria PLC, Adeniyi said the partnership demonstrated the NCS’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the private sector to address challenges affecting trade and industrial development.

He said the MoU would strengthen collaboration in the fight against counterfeiting and illicit trade through intelligence sharing and the identification and verification of suspected counterfeit products.

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

He noted that engagements with private-sector stakeholders were valuable to the Customs Service because they often provided insights that helped shape 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 stated.

The Customs boss also commended Unilever for its sustained investment, innovation and employment generation in Nigeria, describing the company as an important partner in the nation’s trade and industrial sector.

Unilever Commends Customs Reforms
Speaking at the event, Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria PLC, Tobi Adeniyi, highlighted the company’s long-standing presence in Nigeria, dating back to 1923.

He said more than 70 per cent of Unilever’s raw materials had been localised, while the company supports approximately 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country.

Tobi commended the NCS 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 yielded practical results, including the application of lessons from training programmes involving more than 70 Customs officers.

Tobi reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working closely with the NCS to combat counterfeiting and illicit trade, adding that the partnership would be expanded through further engagements across the country.

The twin agreements with the Federal Fire Service and Unilever underscore the Customs Service’s broader strategy of strengthening partnerships with government agencies and private-sector stakeholders to enhance operational efficiency, protect national assets, facilitate legitimate commerce and support sustainable economic growth.