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

By Adebola Muili

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Fire Service (FFS) and Unilever Nigeria PLC have signed separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen cooperation on fire safety, trade facilitation, intelligence sharing, counterfeiting prevention and the protection of lives, property and consumers.

The agreements were signed on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja, in a development aimed at deepening inter-agency and public-private collaboration in support of Nigeria’s economic growth.

Speaking during the engagement with the Federal Fire Service, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the agreement as a bold and strategic step towards strengthening cooperation between the two agencies and advancing their shared mandate to protect lives, property and critical national assets.

Adeniyi said the MoU would enhance fire safety standards across Customs facilities, facilitate rapid response to emergencies, support joint training and capacity building, and promote 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 the first strong MoU between the Fire Service and a sister agency, assuring that the FFS would deploy its capacity to protect Customs personnel and assets.

In a separate engagement with Unilever Nigeria PLC, Adeniyi said the partnership reflected the NCS’s commitment to deeper collaboration with the private sector, particularly in tackling challenges affecting trade and industrial development.

He said the agreement would strengthen cooperation in counterfeiting prevention, intelligence sharing, and the identification and verification of suspected counterfeit products.

According to him, the MoU would provide a structured channel for real-time information on trademarks, product identification features, packaging and product samples, which would assist Customs officers in distinguishing genuine products from counterfeit goods.

The Customs boss noted that engagements with private-sector stakeholders often provide useful insights that influence the Service’s 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.

Adeniyi also commended Unilever for its sustained investment, innovation and employment generation in Nigeria, describing the company as a major partner in the country’s trade and industrial sector.

Speaking on the partnership, the Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria PLC, Tobi Adeniyi, highlighted the company’s long-standing presence in Nigeria since 1923, noting that more than 70 per cent of its raw materials had been localised.

He said the company supports about 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in Nigeria, while commending the NCS for its transformation, particularly its digitalisation initiatives, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme and other trade facilitation measures.

Tobi said previous engagements between Unilever and the NCS had already produced practical results, including the application of lessons from training involving more than 70 Customs officers.

He reaffirmed Unilever’s commitment to working with the Customs Service to combat counterfeiting and illicit trade, while expressing readiness to expand the partnership through further engagements across the country.