Nigeria, Benin Customs Commence Move To Integrate Border Procedures For Seamless Cross Border Trade
By Asuquo Nuwak
Nigeria, Benin Customs Commence Move To Integrate Border Procedures For Seamless Cross Border Trade
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Benin Customs Administration have commenced moves to transform the Sèmè–Kraké Joint Border Post into a technology-driven and fully integrated facility aimed at facilitating seamless cross-border trade and strengthening border security.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Friday at Sèmè during a joint Nigeria-Benin assessment of the one-stop border post.
The assessment was held under the theme: “Leveraging the Nigeria Customs Service Trade Modernisation Project to Advance Seamless Cross-Border Trade and Shared Prosperity”.
Adeniyi said the Sèmè–Kraké facility should be regarded as a strategic border modernisation programme rather than a collection of separate infrastructure rehabilitation projects.
CGC Adeniyi said what the Service seek to achieve is that Sèmè–Kraké will be treated as a strategic border modernisation programme, and not as a series of isolated repairs.
According to him, the facility already has critical physical infrastructure, including traffic lanes, parking areas, offices, a weighbridge and scanner housing.
However, he noted that the two customs administrations were yet to operate through a fully integrated technological system.
CGC Adeniyi said without interconnectivity, this is not a joint border post, rather it is two border posts sharing a car park.
He said Nigeria and Benin were working towards establishing a common data-exchange mechanism that would allow declarations lodged on one side of the border to be accessed by the other in real time.
He disclosed that the system would facilitate the tracking of transit cargo from origin to destination, while enabling risk profiles and enforcement alerts generated by either customs administration to reach its counterpart in a timely manner.
Still, Adeniyi said the proposed transformation would also include the restoration of scanning capabilities, improved access control, enhanced surveillance and lighting, as well as the establishment of a permanent Nigeria-Benin enforcement and intelligence mechanism.
He called for the development of harmonised bilingual standard operating procedures covering cargo handling, passenger processing, inspection, transit operations and incident escalation.
He also advocated for a joint risk-management framework and an empowered management structure for the administration of shared infrastructure at the border.
Adeniyi took time out to announced the launch of a dedicated facility aimed at addressing the needs of women traders operating along the Nigeria-Benin corridor.
Importantly, he said the facility would provide simplified procedures for small consignments, information in languages commonly spoken by traders, accessible points of contact and a channel through which traders could report alleged poor treatment.
Accordingly, he said the initiative is intended to encourage more women traders to participate in formal trade, while reducing harassment, extortion and unnecessary delays at the border.
Significantly, he said the measures were part of the broader effort to make the Sèmè–Kraké crossing more efficient, transparent and responsive to legitimate trade.
At the event, the Director-General of Benin Customs, Col. Raouf Malehhossou Aboudou, expressed support for the NCS initiative to recalibrate operations at the Sèmè–Kraké border and facilitate trans-border trade.
Aboudou commended Adeniyi for what he described as pragmatism and purposefulness in seeking to modernise operational systems and improve cross-border commerce.
He assured that the Benin Customs Administration would support the initiative, adding that its officers and personnel were ready to work with their Nigerian counterparts to achieve the objectives of the joint border modernisation programme.
The Seme Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Abdullahi Shuaibu Kaila, also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to measures aimed at facilitating seamless trade between Nigeria and Benin Republic.
In his welcome address, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila commended the two customs administrations for their renewed commitment to taking operations along the Seme–Krake corridor to a higher level.
He said the cooperation between both countries was critical to improving operations at the strategic crossing, which plays an important role in Nigeria’s trade relations with Benin Republic and the wider West African market.
Besides, he said under the renewed framework, the Seme Customs Command is expected to facilitate legitimate trade, while maintaining border security, protecting government revenue and enforcing applicable laws and trade restrictions.
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