Nigeria Customs Leads Benin Republic, Cameroon on Regional Border Modernisation with Afreximbank
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the Customs administrations of the Republic of Benin and the Republic of Cameroon, has advanced discussions with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) on a regional border-modernisation programme. The initiative aims to strengthen trade facilitation, enhance cross-border efficiency, and support the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The high-level engagement, held at Afreximbank’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on 12 October 2026, followed a joint benchmarking mission to the Beitbridge Border Post in Zimbabwe and subsequent technical assessments of the Mfum–Ekok and Sèmè–Kraké border corridors.
Led by Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, the meeting brought together representatives of the three Customs administrations, Afreximbank, and technical partners to review findings from recent corridor assessments, identify priority interventions for modernisation and explore pathways toward an integrated regional programme.
Discussions centred on combining digital infrastructure upgrades, harmonised Customs procedures, secure data exchange, and institutional capacity development with investments in cargo scanners, weighbridges, access roads, electricity, connectivity, traffic management, and modern border-processing facilities. Afreximbank’s potential participation in the next Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) and progress toward regional transit-guarantee arrangements were also considered.
A major highlight was the Customs Declaration Exchange System (CDES), designed to enable secure information exchange among Nigeria’s B’Odogwu platform, Benin’s Customs Webb, and Cameroon’s CAMCIS. Built on a common data model, CDES allows export information from one country to support advance preparation of import manifests in another, reducing duplication and improving predictability. While development and testing have been undertaken, further configuration, API integration, security assurance, and pilot acceptance are required before deployment.
Beitbridge Benchmarking demonstrated the importance of treating a modern border as an integrated ecosystem—covering traffic segmentation, pre-arrival processing, risk-based controls, cargo scanning, transit monitoring, electronic payments, IT command centres, utilities, and governance.
Mfum–Ekok identified gaps in power supply, connectivity, IT equipment, cybersecurity, scanner commissioning, and coordinated single-stop processing.
Sèmè–Kraké highlighted challenges including incomplete joint procedures, non-functional scanning/weighing facilities, unreliable electricity, congestion, inconsistent operating hours, and unclear infrastructure maintenance responsibilities.
Afreximbank outlined a phased plan that includes independent engineering assessments and investment-cost studies at the two border posts. The second is the development of separate bankable project packages for the Nigeria–Benin and Nigeria–Cameroon corridors.
This process would include transaction advisory services, legal due diligence, financial modelling, and identification of financing arrangements. Afreximbank’s Project Preparation Facility may be utilised, while technical partners expressed willingness to consider self-financing preparatory work.
Although no final project cost or financing arrangement has been established, participants agreed on direct site inspections, designated technical focal points, a clear one-, three-, and six-month roadmap, and a dated action matrix to guide subsequent engagement.
The Nigeria Customs Service, under CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi’s leadership, reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional cooperation, modernising border operations, and facilitating legitimate trade in line with AfCFTA objectives. NCS will continue to work with Benin, Cameroon, Afreximbank, and technical partners to advance assessments, clarify project-preparation arrangements, and develop sustainable solutions for the two border corridors—promoting efficient cross-border procedures, improved cargo visibility, and integrated African trade.
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