Customs, Afreximbank, Benin, Cameroon Push Regional Border Upgrade To Boost AfCFTA Trade

By Stella Okocha 

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, in collaboration with Customs administrations of Benin and Cameroon, has intensified discussions with African Export-Import Bank, Afreximbank, on a regional border modernisation programme to facilitate trade under African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.

The high-level engagement held at Afreximbank headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on October 12, 2026, followed a joint benchmarking mission to Beitbridge Border Post in Zimbabwe and technical assessments of Mfum-Ekok and Sèmè-Kraké border corridors.

Led by Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the meeting brought together representatives of the three Customs administrations, Afreximbank and technical partners to review findings, identify priority interventions and explore pathways to integrated modernisation.

Discussions focused on digital infrastructure, harmonised Customs procedures, secure data exchange, capacity development, as well as investments in scanners, weighbridges, access roads, electricity, connectivity, traffic management and modern processing facilities. Participants also considered Afreximbank’s participation in next Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade, C-PACT, and progress on regional transit-guarantee arrangements.

A major component is the Customs Declaration Exchange System, CDES, designed to facilitate secure information exchange among Nigeria’s B’Odogwu platform, Benin’s Customs Webb and Cameroon’s CAMCIS. Built around common data model, the system will enable export information from one country to support advance preparation of import manifest in receiving country, reducing duplication and improving predictability. Receiving administration will still validate information, apply national requirements, conduct risk assessment and authorise clearance.

Although development and technical testing have been done, further country-specific configuration, API integration, security assurance and pilot acceptance remain before deployment.

The discussions drew on findings from July 2026 Beitbridge benchmarking mission which showed importance of treating modern border as integrated ecosystem covering traffic segmentation, pre-arrival processing, risk-based controls, scanning, transit monitoring, e-payments, IT command centres and governance.

At Mfum-Ekok, gaps identified include unreliable power, connectivity, IT equipment, cybersecurity, scanner commissioning and coordinated single-stop processing. At Sèmè-Kraké, challenges include incomplete joint procedures and live data exchange, non-functional scanners and weighbridges, unreliable electricity, traffic congestion, inconsistent operating hours and unresolved maintenance responsibilities.

To advance initiative, Afreximbank outlined two-stage approach beginning with independent engineering assessments and investment-cost studies at both posts, followed by development of bankable project packages for Nigeria-Benin and Nigeria-Cameroon corridors, covering transaction advisory, legal due diligence, financial modelling and financing arrangements.

The Bank outlined potential use of its Project Preparation Facility, while technical partners, TMP and Bergmans Security Consultants, expressed willingness in principle to self-finance preparatory work.

No final project cost, lending commitment, borrower designation or implementation contract was established, but participants agreed on direct site inspections, designated technical focal points and a one, three and six-month roadmap with dated action matrix.

NCS reaffirmed commitment to strengthening regional cooperation, modernising border operations and facilitating legitimate trade in line with AfCFTA objectives, saying it will continue engagement with counterparts, Afreximbank and technical partners to advance assessments and develop sustainable solutions for efficient cross-border procedures.