Seme Border Stakeholders Seek Policy Stability, Assure Traders of Faster Cargo Clearance

Stakeholders at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex have called on the Federal Government to ensure policy stability and transparent cargo clearance procedures at the Seme Border, warning that abrupt border closures could undermine traders’ confidence and result in huge financial losses.

The call was made on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, during a stakeholders’ sensitisation and engagement programme on trade facilitation, Customs compliance and anti-smuggling awareness organised by Nigerian licensed Customs brokers operating at the Seme Border.

The stakeholders also urged the government to provide stronger assurances that legitimate land-border trade would not again be disrupted by sudden border closures, recalling the prolonged closure of Nigeria’s land borders under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

They said the previous closure left consignments imported through Cotonou and other neighbouring ports stranded around the Seme corridor, with some traders reportedly losing goods and substantial business capital.

Speaking at the programme, Chairman of the Seme Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Alhaji Wasiu Abioye, urged traders to reject shortcuts and comply with established Customs procedures.

Abioye described the Seme Border as a strategic gateway on the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor and an important channel for trade within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

He said efforts to promote trade through the corridor must be supported by adequate knowledge of Customs procedures, strict adherence to regulations and effective collaboration among government agencies and private-sector operators.

According to him, trade facilitation should not be interpreted as an opportunity to circumvent established rules but as a means of making legitimate trade more efficient, predictable and transparent.

He warned traders against using their businesses for smuggling, false declarations, concealment of goods, duty evasion, identity misuse and other forms of illicit trade.

“No short-term gain is worth sacrificing a sustainable business,” Abioye said.

He advised traders to understand the nature of their goods, documentation requirements, applicable duties and restrictions before commencing import or export transactions.

The ANLCA chairman also cautioned traders against relying solely on information obtained from friends, social media platforms or unverified intermediaries.

Instead, he advised them to seek guidance from licensed Customs agents and relevant government agencies whenever they require clarification on documentation, valuation, duties or the status of their consignments.

“Know your goods, know the requirements, verify your agent, ask questions and fulfil your obligations,” he told participants.

Abioye further stressed the importance of professional Customs brokers in ensuring that importers and exporters operate within the law.

He said competent and licensed Customs brokers should help traders comply with regulatory requirements rather than assist them in evading duties or circumventing official procedures.

He warned traders against handing over sensitive documents, business information or funds to individuals who falsely present themselves as Customs agents.

According to him, traders should verify the credentials and operating status of Customs brokers before engaging them for cargo clearance and other transactions.

“A genuine professional will provide proper guidance and direct the trader through the appropriate procedures,” he said.

Abioye added that ANLCA and other Customs brokerage associations operating along the Seme corridor would continue to promote professionalism among their members, guide traders and work with government agencies to address genuine operational challenges.

He stressed that effective border administration required sustained collaboration among the Nigeria Customs Service, NDLEA, NAFDAC, SON, licensed Customs agents, transporters, traders, market associations and other relevant institutions.

In her opening remarks, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board, Mrs. Vera Ndanusa (Soniyan Ayuka Nupe), welcomed participants to the sensitisation programme.

She said the issues discussed were directly connected to the shared responsibility of stakeholders to promote legitimate trade, compliance, transparency and a conducive business environment.

Ndanusa noted that the Trade Fair Complex serves as a major commercial hub where traders, importers, manufacturers, distributors, freight forwarders, Customs brokers and other businesses interact.

She said ensuring that businesses understand applicable trade and Customs procedures was essential to maintaining an orderly and sustainable trading environment.

The Trade Fair management, she disclosed, was working towards establishing a data resource centre where stakeholders could obtain reliable information on import and export procedures and requirements relating to the Seme Border.

She commended the Nigerian licensed Customs brokers operating at Seme Border for taking the sensitisation beyond the border environment and bringing the engagement directly to the trading community.

“When traders understand the requirements applicable to their businesses, compliance becomes easier, and inadvertent violations can be reduced,” she said.

Ndanusa also warned that illicit trade and smuggling could undermine legitimate businesses, distort competition, deprive government of lawful revenue and create security and regulatory challenges.

She urged regulatory and enforcement agencies to continue adopting a collaborative and stakeholder-oriented approach while ensuring compliance with laws governing international trade.

She assured stakeholders that the Trade Fair Complex Management Board remained committed to working with the Nigeria Customs Service, NAFDAC, SON, NDLEA and other relevant agencies to promote a safe, orderly and business-friendly trading environment.

Representing the Comptroller of the Seme Border Customs Command, Abdulahi Kaila, Deputy Controller D.I. Njoku assured traders of continued enlightenment by the command on issues relating to trade facilitation and Customs procedures.

Njoku also said the cost of doing business through the land border could be lower than that of some seaports.

Corroborating his position, Assistant Comptroller Kennedy Iroegbu said the number of Customs checkpoints along the border had been reduced to three.

He added that improved clearance procedures had reduced delays, saying traders should no longer have to contend with the prolonged clearance processes experienced in the past.

Representatives of NAFDAC, NDLEA and other relevant agencies also made presentations aimed at educating traders on regulatory requirements and encouraging legitimate businesses to utilise the Seme trade corridor.

The stakeholders stressed the need for cargo clearance processes to remain transparent, predictable and free from unnecessary bottlenecks.

They appealed to the Federal Government to sustain confidence in land-border trade by avoiding abrupt policy changes that could leave traders with stranded consignments and significant financial losses.

They said consistent government policies, professional conduct by clearing agents, reliable regulatory information and regular engagement with traders would be critical to strengthening confidence in the Seme Border as a viable gateway for legitimate trade along the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor.

At the end of the programme, Chairman of the Trade Fair Stakeholders Association (TFSA) and President of the Association of Progressive Traders (APT), Chief Eric Ilechukwu, thanked the Seme Border delegations from Customs, NDLEA and the various Customs brokerage associations for the sensitisation.

Ilechukwu assured the visiting stakeholders that he would communicate the information to the various associations operating within the Trade Fair Complex and encourage them to explore the Seme corridor for legitimate import and export activities.

The Seme Border clearing agents’ delegation included representatives of ANLCA and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), led by its new chapter chairman, Mazi Chekwube, among others.