Nigeria Customs, AFREXIMBANK Deepen Discussions On Regional Border Modernisation Under AfCFTA

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

The Nigeria Customs Service in collaboration with the customs administrations of Benin and Cameroon, has intensified talks with Afreximbank on a regional border modernisation programme to boost trade facilitation and advance the AfCFTA objectives.

The high-level engagement, held in Cairo, Egypt, followed a joint benchmarking mission to Beitbridge Border Post in Zimbabwe and assessments of the Mfum-Ekok and Seme-Krake corridors.

Discussions led by Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, focused on improving digital infrastructure, harmonised procedures, secure data exchange, and investments in scanners, weighbridges and modern processing facilities.

A key highlight is the Customs Declaration Exchange System, designed to link Nigeria’s B’Odogwu platform with Benin’s Customs Webb and Cameroon’s CAMCIS for seamless information sharing.

While no final cost or financing deal was reached, participants agreed on a roadmap for engineering assessments and the development of bankable projects to modernise the two border corridors.