August 3, 2026
The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, alongside the Customs administrations of Benin Republic and Cameroon, has taken a major step towards strengthening regional border management and accelerating intra-African trade following a high-level benchmarking mission to the Beitbridge Border Post between Zimbabwe and South Africa
The five-day mission, organised with the support of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), brought together the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi; Director-General of Cameroon Customs, Fongod Nuvaga; Director-General of Benin Customs, Col. Raouf Malèhossou Aboudou; Acting Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Mrs Lonto Ndlovu; and Chairman of Bergmans Security Consultant and Supplies Limited, Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu. The exercise formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen coordinated border management and enhance trade facilitation under the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
Speaking during the adoption of a Joint Communiqué on July 27, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the visit as a strategic opportunity for African customs administrations to move beyond policy discussions and embrace practical implementation of modern border management systems.
According to him, the experiences gained from the Beitbridge and Chirundu border posts in Zimbabwe underscored the importance of institutional coordination, digital integration and collaborative leadership in transforming Africa’s trade corridors.
He said: “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.”
During the mission, participants attended technical sessions, toured border facilities and received executive briefings from Zimbabwean border agencies on the Beitbridge Modernisation and Concession Model, including its financing framework, operational systems, revenue management and coordinated border governance.
The delegation also inspected freight terminals, cargo processing facilities, scanning operations, traffic management systems and integrated ICT infrastructure that support seamless cross-border operations.
The Joint Communiqué signed at the end of the exercise 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 from the adoption of One-Stop Border Post arrangements and coordinated border management.
Director-General of Cameroon Customs, Fongod Nuvaga, stressed the need for stronger collaboration among African customs administrations to eliminate procedural bottlenecks while maintaining effective border security.
He noted that enhanced regional cooperation would enable African countries to maximise the opportunities created by the AfCFTA and deepen economic integration across the continent.
Similarly, Director-General of Benin Customs, Col. Raouf Malèhossou Aboudou, said the Beitbridge model provides practical lessons for improving border efficiency in West Africa through harmonised procedures, coordinated risk management systems and stronger institutional partnerships.
Earlier, Afreximbank’s Director for Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, Dr Gainmore Zanamwe, said the benchmarking exercise was designed to expose participating countries not only to modern infrastructure but also to the governance structures and operational models that drive efficient border management.
According to him, sustainable border reforms depend on accountability, institutional coordination, technology and measurable service standards.
The mission ended with the signing of a Joint Communiqué committing Nigeria, Benin Republic and Cameroon to establish a Trilateral Strategic Steering Committee to oversee implementation of the recommendations from the visit.
The three customs administrations also pledged to harmonise border procedures, strengthen digital interoperability, improve coordinated risk management systems and sustain investment in capacity building as part of efforts to facilitate trade and enhance regional economic integration.