The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the Customs administrations of Benin and Cameroon, has advanced efforts to strengthen coordinated border management and boost intra-African trade following a high-level benchmarking mission to the Beitbridge Border Post between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The mission brought together the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, Director-General of Cameroon Customs, Mr. Fongod Nuvaga, Director-General of Benin Customs, Colonel Raouf Malèhossou Aboudou, Acting Commissioner of Customs and Excise at the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), Mrs. Lonto Ndlovu, and Chairman of Bergmans Security Consultant and Supplies Limited, Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu.
The five-day exercise was organised with the support of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) as part of efforts to strengthen intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking during the adoption of a Joint Communiqué, Comptroller-General Adeniyi described the mission as a strategic opportunity for African customs administrations to move beyond discussions on border reforms and focus on implementing modern border management systems.
He said lessons from the Beitbridge and Chirundu border posts in Zimbabwe underscored the importance of coordinated institutional frameworks, digital integration and collaborative leadership in transforming Africa’s trade corridors.
According to Adeniyi, sustainable border reform extends beyond physical infrastructure and depends on strong institutions, accountability, digital interoperability and a skilled workforce.
He expressed confidence that the experience gained would help strengthen trade facilitation, improve border security and promote economic growth across the region.
The benchmarking mission featured technical sessions, executive briefings and guided tours of key border facilities, including freight terminals, cargo processing centres, scanning operations, traffic management systems and integrated ICT infrastructure.
Participants were also briefed on the Beitbridge Modernisation and Concession Model, covering its financing structure, operational framework, revenue management system and coordinated border governance architecture.
The Joint Communiqué noted that the mission forms part of broader continental efforts to facilitate trade across West and Central Africa. It identified the Sèmè-Kraké corridor linking Nigeria and Benin Republic, as well as the Mfum-Ekok corridor connecting Nigeria and Cameroon, as strategic routes that could benefit significantly from coordinated border management and One-Stop Border Post arrangements.
Director-General of Cameroon Customs, Mr. Fongod Nuvaga, stressed the need for stronger collaboration among customs administrations to remove procedural bottlenecks while maintaining effective border controls.
He said enhanced regional cooperation would enable African countries to maximise opportunities under the AfCFTA and accelerate economic integration.
Similarly, Director-General of Benin Customs, Colonel Raouf Malèhossou Aboudou, said the Beitbridge model provides practical lessons for improving border efficiency across West Africa.
He emphasised the importance of harmonised procedures, coordinated risk management systems and stronger institutional partnerships in facilitating seamless trade and improving revenue collection.
Also speaking, Afreximbank’s Director for Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, Dr. Gainmore Zanamwe, said the benchmarking exercise was designed to expose participating countries to the governance structures, operational models and institutional reforms that have contributed to the success of modern border posts.
He noted that while infrastructure remains important, effective border management depends on accountability, coordination, technology and measurable service standards.
The mission concluded with the signing of a Joint Communiqué committing Nigeria, Cameroon and Benin to establish a Trilateral Strategic Steering Committee to implement recommendations from the exercise.
The three customs administrations also pledged to harmonise border procedures, strengthen digital interoperability, coordinate risk management systems and invest in capacity building to improve trade facilitation and regional economic integration.