By Seun Ibiyemi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to coordinated border management and regional trade integration following a high-level benchmarking mission to the Beitbridge Border Post between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The five-day mission, supported by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), brought together the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, alongside the Director-General of Cameroon Customs, Fongod Nuvaga; the Director-General of Benin Customs, Raouf Malèhossou Aboudou; the Acting Commissioner of Customs and Excise of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), Lonto Ndlovu; and the Chairman of Bergmans Security Consultant and Supplies Limited, Saleh Ahmadu.
The exercise forms part of continental efforts to strengthen trade facilitation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through the adoption of modern border management systems.
Speaking during the adoption of a Joint Communiqué on Monday, Comptroller-General Adeniyi said the visit provided African customs administrations with practical lessons on transforming border operations through technology, institutional coordination and stronger governance.
According to him, the experiences from the Beitbridge and Chirundu border posts underscored the importance of digital integration, coordinated institutional frameworks and professional capacity in improving trade efficiency.
“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,” Adeniyi said.
He added that Nigeria would leverage the lessons from the mission to strengthen trade facilitation, enhance border security and support economic growth.
During the mission, participants attended technical sessions, executive briefings and facility tours showcasing the Beitbridge modernisation and concession model, including its financing structure, operational framework, revenue management systems and coordinated border governance architecture.
The delegation also inspected freight terminals, cargo processing facilities, scanning operations, traffic management systems and integrated ICT infrastructure that have helped transform Beitbridge into one of Africa’s most efficient border crossings.
According to the Joint Communiqué, the mission aligns with broader continental efforts to improve trade across West and Central Africa, with particular emphasis on the Sèmè-Kraké corridor linking Nigeria and Benin Republic, and the Mfum-Ekok corridor connecting Nigeria and Cameroon.
The participating customs administrations agreed that the strategic corridors would benefit significantly from coordinated border management and the implementation of One-Stop Border Posts.
Cameroon Customs Director-General, Fongod Nuvaga, stressed the need for greater collaboration among African customs administrations to eliminate procedural bottlenecks while maintaining effective border controls.
He said stronger regional cooperation would enable African countries to maximise opportunities created by the AfCFTA and accelerate continental economic integration.
Similarly, Benin Customs Director-General, Colonel Raouf Malèhossou Aboudou, said the Beitbridge model offers practical solutions for improving border efficiency in West Africa through harmonised procedures, coordinated risk management and stronger institutional partnerships.
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Earlier, Afreximbank’s Director for Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, Dr. Gainmore Zanamwe, said the benchmarking exercise was designed to expose participating administrations to the governance structures, operational models and institutional reforms that underpin successful modern border posts.
According to him, infrastructure alone cannot deliver efficient border operations without accountability, technology, institutional coordination and measurable service standards.
The mission concluded with Nigeria, Cameroon and Benin signing a Joint Communiqué establishing a Trilateral Strategic Steering Committee to drive the implementation of recommendations from the exercise.
The three customs administrations also committed to harmonising border procedures, promoting digital interoperability, strengthening coordinated risk management systems and investing in personnel development to improve cross-border trade and regional economic integration.
