Nigeria, Benin Deepen Trade Integration, Close Customs Systems Gap At Seme Border

Nigeria and Benin Republic are moving to bridge the systems gap between their Customs administrations, with plans to establish a real-time data exchange arrangement that will enable both countries to share declarations, manifests, transit information, risk profiles and enforcement alerts seamlessly.

The initiative is aimed at deepening trade integration, reducing border delays and facilitating the movement of legitimate goods and services between the two countries, particularly along the strategic Sèmè–Kraké border.

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this yesterday during a joint assessment of the Sèmè–Kraké One-Stop Border Post, where he said the two Customs administrations currently operate under the same roof but lack an integrated system for real-time information exchange.

“Two administrations presently work under one roof, but they do not work on one system. There is still no seamless real-time exchange of declarations, manifests, transit information, risk profiles or enforcement alerts between us,” Adeniyi said.

He said the NCS had come to Sèmè–Kraké with a specific offer to close the systems gap through the interconnection of the two administrations.

According to him, work is already underway on a common data exchange arrangement, building on the regional transit experience of both countries.

He explained that the proposed system would ensure that a declaration lodged on one side of the border is visible on the other in real time, while transit consignments can be tracked from origin to destination.

Similarly, risk profiles and enforcement alerts generated by one Customs administration would be transmitted to the other while the information remained operationally useful.

Adeniyi said the initiative formed part of efforts to review the operational readiness of the One-Stop Border Post, assess border processes and facilities, and demonstrate the border-modernisation solution supporting secure cross-border interoperability between Nigeria and Benin.

He stressed the strategic importance of the border, noting that Sèmè–Kraké sits on the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor, which carries about 70 per cent of the sub-region’s transit trade.

According to him, the crossing is among the busiest land borders in West Africa and operates around the clock throughout the year.

“A corridor of that weight does not fail quietly,” he said, adding that delays at the border are multiplied across thousands of consignments and tens of thousands of travellers and ultimately reflected in the prices of goods across the region.

“Every hour lost at this gate is multiplied across thousands of consignments and tens of thousands of travellers, and is paid for in the price of goods in markets from Cotonou to Lagos.

“Conversely, an hour saved here is saved for the whole region. There are few places on this continent where the ratio between effort and effect is as favourable as it is at this crossing,” Adeniyi said.

The Customs chief also drew attention to the importance of informal cross-border trade, particularly the role of women, noting that women account for more than 70 per cent of informal cross-border traders across Africa.

He said the trend was particularly pronounced along the Nigeria-Benin corridor, where about 22 per cent of Benin’s informal exports are destined for Nigeria.

“Informal trade is estimated to account for a fifth of economic activity in Nigeria and a far higher share in Benin,” he said.

Adeniyi commended the Customs administration of Benin Republic for its trust and confidence in the leadership of the NCS to drive the One-Stop Border Post initiative.

The Director-General of Benin Customs, Raouf Malehossou, also commended Nigeria for the initiative, saying closer integration of trade processes between the two countries would support economic growth across the sub-region.

Aboudou, has commended the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his pragmatic approach to strengthening cross-border trade and customs cooperation between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

Aboudou said the implementation of a joint One-Stop Border Post would significantly reduce the stress associated with cross-border movement for traders, travellers and other stakeholders while improving the efficiency of customs operations.

The Benin Customs DG said the initiative would also promote coordinated risk management, one of the core principles of the World Customs Organisation (WCO).

He said, “The CGC is someone very pragmatic and committed to operations. They visited Zimbabwe to see how One-Stop Border Posts work there.

“To have a joint border post reduces stress for stakeholders, travellers and everyone that uses it. It gives birth to coordinated risk management, which is one of the core principles of the WCO.

“When there is smooth movement, stakeholders enjoy it, and when it is not smooth, they suffer it.”

Aboudou stressed that closer cooperation between the two customs administrations was essential to ensuring seamless movement of legitimate goods and people across the Nigeria-Benin border.

The joint assessment formed part of efforts by both countries to deepen regional economic integration, harmonise cross-border procedures, reduce trade barriers and facilitate legitimate trade.

The Seme-Krake One-Stop Border Post is expected to strengthen coordination between the two countries’ border agencies by enabling joint processing and reducing duplication of controls and procedures.