The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), alongside the Customs administrations of Benin Republic and Cameroon, has intensified efforts to strengthen intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through enhanced border cooperation and trade facilitation.
As part of the initiative, the three countries participated in a high-level benchmarking mission to the Beitbridge Border Post between Zimbabwe and South Africa, one of Africa’s leading models for integrated border management.
The mission brought together the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi; Director-General of Cameroon Customs, 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; Chairman of Bergmans Security Consultant and Supplies Limited, Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu; and other key stakeholders.
The exercise was organised with the support of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) as part of ongoing efforts to deepen regional economic integration under the AfCFTA.
Speaking during the adoption of the Joint Communiqué, Comptroller-General Adeniyi described the mission as a strategic opportunity for African customs administrations to move beyond policy discussions and embrace practical implementation of modern border management systems.
He said the experiences gained 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.
“Beitbridge has demonstrated that border modernisation is not merely about infrastructure development.
The most important lesson for us is that sustainable reform depends on coordinated institutions, clear accountability, digital interoperability and professional human capital. We are leaving here with a renewed commitment to translate these lessons into practical solutions that will strengthen trade facilitation, security and economic growth across our region,” Adeniyi stated.
The five-day mission featured technical sessions, facility tours and executive briefings by Zimbabwean border agencies.
The technical team, comprising officials from the Nigeria Customs Service, Cameroon Customs Administration, Benin Customs Administration, Bergmans Security Consultant and Supplies Limited, and Bsmart Technologies, presented detailed briefings on the Beitbridge Border Modernisation and Concession Model, including its financing framework, operational structure, revenue management systems and coordinated border governance architecture.
Participants also toured the freight terminal, cargo processing facilities, scanning operations, traffic management systems and integrated ICT infrastructure that support seamless border operations.
The visits provided practical insights into how technology, institutional collaboration and effective performance management have transformed Beitbridge into one of Africa’s most efficient border crossings.
According to the Joint Communiqué signed at the end of the mission, the exercise forms part of broader continental efforts to improve trade across West Africa and between 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 trade routes that would benefit significantly from coordinated border management and the establishment of One-Stop Border Posts.
Director-General of the Cameroon Customs Administration, Fongod Nuvaga, stressed the need for stronger regional cooperation to eliminate procedural bottlenecks while maintaining effective border security.
He said customs administrations must work collectively to unlock the full benefits of the AfCFTA and accelerate Africa’s economic integration.
Similarly, Benin Customs Director-General, Colonel Raouf Malèhossou Aboudou, noted that the Beitbridge experience offers practical lessons for improving border efficiency across West Africa.
He emphasized the need for harmonised customs procedures, coordinated risk management systems and stronger institutional partnerships to facilitate seamless trade and enhance revenue collection.
Also speaking, Afreximbank’s Director for Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, Dr. Gainmore Zanamwe, described the benchmarking exercise as part of the bank’s broader strategy to support trade-enabling infrastructure across Africa.
According to him, the initiative was designed not only to showcase modern infrastructure but also to expose participating administrations to the governance systems, operational models and institutional reforms that drive the success of world-class border posts.
“Infrastructure is important, but what truly drives performance is an operating model built on accountability, coordination, technology and measurable service standards. Those are the lessons we hope will be replicated across strategic corridors on the continent,” he said.
The mission concluded with the signing of a Joint Communiqué committing Nigeria, Cameroon and Benin to establish a Trilateral Strategic Steering Committee to oversee the implementation of recommendations from the visit.
The three customs administrations also pledged to harmonise border procedures, enhance digital interoperability, strengthen coordinated risk management systems and invest in continuous personnel development to improve trade facilitation across the region.
