The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) are joining forces to fight money laundering and support Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list. FAAN Managing Director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, revealed this on Thursday during a joint inspection of the cargo terminal at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
According to Kuku, the partnership focuses on monitoring currency declarations that exceed the $10,000 threshold for travelers entering or leaving the country. She urged all passengers to comply with this requirement, noting that new security measures and improved screening processes have already been put in place to support this effort. Procedures at airports are also being streamlined to reduce delays and unnecessary checkpoints, she said.
Kuku confirmed that cargo terminal operators have been re-registered to improve accountability, and steps have been taken to boost efficiency following increased cargo activity nationwide. She commended Customs for their collaboration in enhancing security and making the travel experience smoother for passengers.
Customs Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi, said the joint visit was designed to align the efforts of both agencies toward national security goals. While FAAN oversees aviation security, Customs handles documentation, flight facilitation, and revenue collection. Adeniyi stressed that none of these efforts should negatively affect passenger convenience.
He acknowledged visible improvements at the airports and praised the establishment of designated areas for currency declaration. Plans are underway to merge currency declaration forms with Immigration arrival cards to simplify the process. Meanwhile, regular announcements will remind travelers of their responsibility to declare large sums of money.
Adeniyi also highlighted challenges facing export operations, including delays and poor storage conditions that lead to high rejection rates. He credited private sector efforts for helping boost export capacity and called for the use of advanced, non-intrusive technology to modernize operations. He emphasized the need for nationwide standards to ensure all airport users enjoy consistent service quality.
He disclosed that an FATF inspection team is expected to visit Nigeria in the coming weeks and expressed confidence in the country’s current efforts to meet international anti-money laundering standards. He said the meeting with FAAN had helped identify shared goals and challenges that will guide future cooperation.
Other airport security agencies were present during the tour, further strengthening the unified approach to securing Nigeria’s aviation sector.
