Lauretta Ebele Utubor, fwco, mniiia, mfps, is an Assistant Comptroller with the Nigeria Customs Service, with over fourteen years of experience in international trade policy, Harmonized System (HS) classification, revenue administration, and customs reform. Her work focuses on advancing modern customs practices that support trade facilitation, economic growth, and national development.
Over the course of her career, Lauretta has contributed to several major national and international trade initiatives, including the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework. She serves as Nigeria Customs Service Focal Point to the WTO Trade Facilitation Committee and has represented Nigeria at technical forums of the World Customs Organization (WCO), working on tariff classification, customs valuation, rules of origin, and trade facilitation.
As the lead architect of the NCS Advance Rulings programme, Lauretta has played a pivotal role in shaping Nigeria's trade architecture, contributing to the Nigeria-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and co-drafting key frameworks for the NCS Customs Laboratory and One-Stop Shop.
Her expertise has earned her commendations from the WCO Secretary General, the Comptroller General of Customs, and the Minister of Trade and Industry. She holds a Master's degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, specialising in trade and development. She is a Fellow of the World Customs Organization and a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.
In The Gateway Economy: Customs, International Trade & Sustainable Development, Lauretta draws on her professional experience and policy insights to explain how borders, customs institutions, and global trade systems influence economic growth, business competitiveness, and everyday life — making the case for trade as a pillar of national development.