The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Customs authorities of the Republic of Benin and Cameroon have partnered the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) on a regional border modernisation programme aimed at improving cross-border trade and advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in the West African subregion.
The initiative is designed to address infrastructure gaps, improve customs procedures, strengthen digital information exchange and enhance cargo movement along the Nigeria-Benin and Nigeria-Cameroon corridors.
A statement issued on Sunday by the NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, indicated that the discussions by Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi, brought together representatives of the three countries’ customs administrations, Afreximbank and technical partners, was held at Afreximbank’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on October 12, to review assessment findings and identify priority interventions.
According to the statement, a key focus of the discussions was the Customs Declarations Exchange System (CDES), a proposed mechanism for secure information exchange among the digital customs platforms of the three countries.
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Specifically, the CDES is designed to connect Nigeria’s B’Odogwu platform, Benin’s Customs Webb and Cameroon’s Customs Information System (CAMCIS), allowing export information generated in one country to support advance preparation of import documentation in the receiving country.
The NCS spokesperson stated that the system was built around a common data model intended to improve information sharing and facilitate faster cross-border processing, adding, however, that the receiving country’s customs administration would retain responsibility for validating the information, applying national regulations, conducting risk assessments and authorising cargo clearance.
Maiwada disclosed that although development and technical testing had been undertaken, further country-specific configuration, application programming interface integration, security assessments and pilot acceptance are required before deployment.
He confirmed that the discussions also covered Afreximbank’s potential participation in the next Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) and progress towards regional and continental transit guarantee arrangements, adding that the measures are intended to strengthen coordination among customs authorities, improve cargo visibility and reduce procedural bottlenecks affecting regional trade.
The statement reflected that the assessments of the two priority corridors highlighted infrastructure deficiencies and operational challenges that could undermine the effectiveness of a modernised border system.
For instance, at the Mfum-Ekok border between Nigeria and Cameroon, the assessment identified unreliable electricity supply, poor connectivity, inadequate information technology equipment, cybersecurity concerns, commissioning of cargo scanners and the need for coordinated single-stop border processing as well as insufficient technical support.
At the Sèmè-Kraké corridor linking Nigeria and Benin, the assessment found gaps in joint operating procedures and live data exchange, alongside non-functional cargo scanning and weighing facilities as well as unreliable electricity, traffic congestion, inconsistent operating hours and unresolved responsibilities for maintaining shared infrastructure.
Maiwada stated that the findings reinforced the need to address immediate operational shortcomings while developing a properly assessed and costed long-term modernisation programme.
He added that the July 2026 benchmarking mission to Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge Border Post also informed the discussions, with participants examining how infrastructure, traffic management, pre-arrival processing and risk-based controls could be integrated into an efficient border management system.
To move the initiative forward, Afreximbank outlined a proposed two-stage approach beginning with independent engineering assessments and investment-cost studies at the Mfum-Ekok and Sèmè-Kraké border posts.
The second stage will involve developing separate bankable project packages for the Nigeria-Cameroon and Nigeria-Benin corridors.
The NCS spokesperson also stated that the proposed project preparation process would cover transaction advisory services, legal due diligence, financial modelling and the identification of suitable financing and implementation arrangements; and that Afreximbank also outlined the potential use of its Project Preparation Facility (PPF) to support the process.
Maiwada disclosed that the technical partners – TMP and Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited expressed willingness in principle to consider self-financing the preparatory work.
However, he stated that the meeting did not establish a final project cost, lending commitment, designated borrower, financing structure or implementation contract.
It would be recalled that earlier this year, the AfCFTA Secretariat had approved Nigeria for the take-off of the pilot implementation of its Simplified Trade Regime (STR) framework in the West African subregion.
This framework is designed to simplify the procedures for small-scale traders engaged in cross-border trade, providing easier access to regional markets and contributing to greater economic integration across the continent.
