Customs Rolls Out Stricter Transit Controls, Regional Collaboration as FG Approves Reopening of Tsamiya Border Route
Kathy Kyari
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to secure border governance and efficient transit trade management following the Federal Government’s approval for the reopening of the Tsamiya Border Corridor in Kebbi State.
This assurance was given at a high-level stakeholders’ engagement held on Saturday, 7 February 2026, at the Kebbi State Government House, where security agencies, traditional institutions, economic operators and international customs representatives converged to chart a coordinated approach to border security and lawful trade facilitation.
The reopening of the Tsamiya Corridor marks a strategic move by the Federal Government to revive a critical northwest transit route linking Nigeria to neighbouring countries, while deploying stricter compliance and monitoring mechanisms to curb smuggling and diversion of goods.
Speaking at the engagement, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, stressed that modern border threats require collective and coordinated responses across agencies and national boundaries.
According to him, “Criminal elements operate through cooperation, shared resources, and organised networks. This makes it imperative for security agencies to work together in a coordinated manner to effectively counter such threats.”
Adeniyi disclosed that the Service is strengthening Customs-to-Customs collaboration with authorities in the Niger Republic and the Republic of Benin, backed by the political will of President Bola Tinubu and President Patrice Talon, to address longstanding transit trade challenges in the sub-region.
He noted that diversion of transit cargo remains a regional concern rather than a Nigeria-specific issue, emphasising the need for harmonised enforcement standards.
“Diversion of goods in transit is not peculiar to Nigeria; it is a cross-border challenge that requires coordinated enforcement, clear guidelines, and strict compliance to ensure that goods reach their intended destinations,” the CGC stated.
Under the reopened Tsamiya Corridor framework, Adeniyi explained that goods in transit will be subjected to enhanced monitoring through ICT-driven interconnectivity systems, stricter profiling of licensed customs agents and close surveillance along approved routes.
He issued a strong warning that any truck found deviating from designated transit corridors would be seized, with offenders prosecuted in line with existing regulations, citing recent prosecutions as evidence of the Service’s zero-tolerance stance.
The CGC also commended the Kebbi State Government for fostering a coordinated security environment and acknowledged the contributions of retired senior Customs officers from the state to national security and institutional development.
In his remarks, Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, pledged continued support for the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies operating in the state, particularly through logistics, infrastructure development and sustained community engagement in border areas.
“The Kebbi State Government remains committed to prioritising security and creating an enabling environment for security agencies to operate effectively, while ensuring that border communities benefit from sustained development,” the governor said.
The engagement attracted high-profile participants, including former Kebbi State Governor and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; former Governor Usman Dakingari; customs officials from the Republic of Benin; representatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser; heads of security agencies; traditional rulers; and key economic operators.
Stakeholders at the meeting expressed confidence that the renewed collaboration would significantly enhance border security, strengthen regional trade integration and position Kebbi State as a strategic hub for lawful economic activities along Nigeria’s northwest corridor.
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