The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN and the Nigeria Customs Service NCS have expressed their dedication and readiness to collaborate and improve passenger experience with a view to enhance trade facilitation across airport terminals.
Managing Director of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku says the collaboration is a testament to the growth and success, not just to FAAN and NCS but to the passengers as the agencies are also working on efforts at ensuring that Nigeria exits the Financial Action Task Force FATF, grey list.
Kuku,made this known shortly after a joint inspection of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos with the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service Adewale Adeniyi .
She noted that the deliberations with the NCS Boss focused on specific areas
Kuku stated that “The outcome of those deliberations focused on three key areas. The first is that we will work closely in getting Nigeria off the grey list with other agencies of government ready to curb any sort of money laundering measures and illicit financial activities across our borders, both agencies are working closely together on currency declaration,not just on departure but also on arrival ”
“So a notice to all of our passengers either arriving or leaving the country to make sure they declare any currency about 10,000 dollars. So alot of the measures, have been put in place ”
Kuku disclosed that FAAN has also enhanced their security screening procedures in a bid to improve the passenger experience.
The FAAN boss noted that as an agency, and Airport operators, they discussed reducing the number of interfaces, some of which has been done by enhanced security screening procedures.
“We also got the commitment from the NCS through the Comptroller-General today, on further reducing, while making sure that we keep the security at the highest levels, for we are here to improve the passenger experience ”
Kuku also revealed that there are efforts aimed at sanitising the cargo terminals.
“I also want to largely speak about what is happening across our cargo terminals, there is obviously increased activities across terminals nationally and it calls for increased security presence and improved experience. So as you all know, we spent some time re-,registering alot of the operators who are are working at our cargo sheds, that there is better visibility and transparency as we bring sanity back to the cargo terminals across Nigeria”
Comptroller-General NCS, Adewale Adeniyi while responding reiterated all what the Managing Director of FAAN had disclosed.
Adeniyi stated that “The visit is focused around creating a shared understanding of our responsibility and our mandate, understanding of our mandate towards national security. Of course, we know that all over the world, airport authorities are focused on working to provide aviation security ”
“Customs on the other hand are focused around facilitating trade, collecting government revenue, and of course working on national security ”
He noted that “In all of these, we believe that the passengers’ experience must not be compromised. And for Nigerians who have been travelling in recent times, we must have noticed the remarkable changes, the positive changes that has happened in all our airports. In terms of the structure, in terms of the processes, the infrastructure that has happened in passenger clearance, inward and outwards passenger satisfaction and all of that”
“So the intention of this is for us to build on this, consolidate and make sure that we even create something better for Nigerians and non-Nigerians that are using our airports’
The CGC stressed the importance of sticking together as agencies of government, as working together and collaborating makes them stronger as they get better results
He said “I have therefore come to explore ways in which we can deepen the collaboration that exist between the Nigeria Customs Service and indeed all security agencies, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN.
“On the issue of exiting Nigeria from the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force FATF, am quiet satisfied with the measures that have been put in place by FAAN. These measures like she has said include the provisions of designated places where currency declaration can be made. I’m also happy to announce that we are working towards exiting this list, Nigeria Customs Service has gone a notch higher by automating this process ”
“Ultimately, we will be hoping to get this form with the passenger declaration form, passenger arrival card which the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS has introduced.”
” But in the meantime, we are happy with the structures that have been created for us, the structures both at the inward and outward area by FAAN”
Adeniyi observed that announcements were being made at regular intervals reminding passengers about their obligations to declare once they have above the threshold.
He noted that with the measures along side technology in place at the arrival and departure halls, operations will be standardised as passenger experience is expected to be the same all over the country
The Customs CG revealed that “We are expecting the inspection team of Financial Action Task Force, in a matter of weeks in Nigeria, and we believe that we have put in place enough measures to get them satisfied and remove Nigeria from the list”
Adeniyi disclosed that he was at cargo terminal to see things for himself
“Apart from the passenger terminal, I was also at the cargo terminal. The meeting has created opportunities for us to discuss issues of mutual interest, issues of mutual concerns between FAAN and NCS. More importantly we are happy that the terminal operators are now giving emphasis on export and we are here to support efforts to ensure that we increase the volume and quality of exports that is coming out of our Airports.
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