Lilypond Export Command Hosts Strategic Stakeholders Meeting, Targets Seamless Export Facilitation

By Modinat Eniodunmo

The Acting Customs Area Comptroller, Lilypond Export Command, Ijora, Lagos, has convened a strategic stakeholders’ engagement meeting to strengthen synergy and chart a new course for seamless export facilitation in Nigeria.

The meeting, held on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the Command’s Conference Hall, brought together critical players across the export value chain, including sister security agencies, representatives of shipping companies, port and terminal operators, and the leadership of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Lilypond Export Command.

In his keynote address, the Acting Comptroller described Lilypond Export Command as a critical and strategic export hub for Nigeria whose importance must not be undermined.

He noted that Nigeria is witnessing an unprecedented surge in export activities, a development that demands professionalism and innovation.

The Comptroller stressed that proper, transparent and accurate documentation remains the bedrock of seamless export, adding that once documentation is accurate and meets standards, the entire export process is completed within 3 to 5 hours.

He directed strict adherence to the Export Prohibition List, correct classification and valuation of goods, and full compliance with bilateral trade agreements and export guidelines.

He warned that attempts to falsify documents or misclassify goods will attract severe consequences as enshrined in the Customs Act, and emphasised that NDLEA and other relevant agencies must physically witness the stuffing and loading processes to ensure transparency.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of ANLCA, Lilypond Export Command, Prince Hon. Olu Adefioye, appreciated the Comptroller for recognising ANLCA’s statutory role under the Nigeria Customs Service Act.

Adefioye disclosed that the ANLCA Secretariat has commenced continuous training and retraining programmes on export expertise to enhance the professional capacity of freight forwarders.

He said he recently assumed office as Chairman and assured stakeholders of improved synergy and operational excellence, pledging robust collaboration to ensure the Command surpasses its revenue and facilitation targets.

Stakeholders, while commending the initiative, raised challenges including trucking constraints, inefficiencies in the Eto Electronic Call-Up System, shipping companies’ bottlenecks, NPA operational challenges, inadequate storage capacity, and pressure on Tincan Island Port.

At the end of the meeting, stakeholders resolved that Lilypond remains Nigeria’s premier export hub, that professional compliance and sincerity in documentation remain the fastest route to facilitation, that all export goods are duty-free, and that the interactive meeting should be institutionalised as a quarterly engagement.

They also agreed on a technical follow-up meeting to address identified challenges holistically and lauded the return of key documentation processes to Lagos from Abuja.