Key points
- Nigeria, Benin and Cameroon Customs administrations concluded a five-day benchmarking mission to the Beitbridge Border Post in Zimbabwe.
- The mission focused on adopting best practices in coordinated border management, digital integration and trade facilitation under the AfCFTA.
- Participating countries agreed to establish a Trilateral Strategic Steering Committee to implement recommendations from the visit.
- The Sèmè-Kraké and Mfum-Ekok corridors were identified as priority routes for coordinated border management and One-Stop Border Post implementation.
- Afreximbank supported the mission as part of efforts to strengthen intra-African trade and regional economic integration.
Main Story
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), alongside the customs administrations of Benin and Cameroon, has reaffirmed its commitment to modernising regional border operations following a five-day benchmarking mission to the Beitbridge Border Post between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The mission, supported by 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, 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 stakeholders to study one of Africa’s most advanced border management systems.
Speaking during the adoption of the Joint Communiqué on Monday, July 27, Comptroller-General Adeniyi described the exercise as a strategic opportunity for African customs administrations to move beyond policy discussions and embrace practical implementation of modern border management systems.
He said lessons from the Beitbridge and Chirundu Border Posts underscored the importance of coordinated institutional frameworks, digital interoperability, clear accountability and collaborative leadership in transforming Africa’s trade corridors.
The benchmarking programme featured technical sessions, facility tours and executive briefings on the Beitbridge Modernisation and Concession Model, including its financing structure, operational framework, revenue management systems and coordinated border governance architecture.
Participants also toured freight terminals, cargo processing centres, scanning facilities, traffic management systems and integrated ICT infrastructure, gaining first-hand experience of how technology and institutional collaboration have improved efficiency at one of the continent’s busiest border crossings.
According to the Joint Communiqué, the initiative forms part of broader continental efforts to strengthen trade between West and Central Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It identified the Sèmè-Kraké corridor between Nigeria and Benin Republic, as well as the Mfum-Ekok corridor linking Nigeria and Cameroon, as strategic routes for the implementation of coordinated border management and One-Stop Border Post arrangements.
Director-General of the Cameroon Customs Administration, Fongod Nuvaga, said stronger collaboration among customs administrations would help eliminate procedural bottlenecks while maintaining effective border security, enabling African countries to maximise the opportunities created by the AfCFTA.
Similarly, Director-General of the Benin Customs Administration, Colonel Raouf Malèhossou Aboudou, said the Beitbridge experience provides practical lessons for improving border efficiency across West Africa through harmonised procedures, coordinated risk management 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 administrations not only to modern infrastructure but also to the governance structures, operational models and institutional reforms that drive efficient border operations across Africa.
The mission concluded with Nigeria, Benin and Cameroon signing a Joint Communiqué committing the three countries to establish a Trilateral Strategic Steering Committee to oversee implementation of the recommendations and advance harmonised border procedures, digital interoperability, coordinated risk management and capacity building.
The Issues
Despite growing momentum towards the implementation of the AfCFTA, inefficient border procedures, fragmented customs systems and inadequate coordination among border agencies continue to impede trade across many African corridors. Addressing these challenges through digital integration, harmonised procedures and coordinated border management remains essential to reducing trade costs, improving security and boosting intra-African commerce.
What’s Being Said
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi:
“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.”
Director-General, Cameroon Customs Administration, Fongod Nuvaga:
“Customs administrations must work together to remove procedural bottlenecks that hinder legitimate trade while maintaining effective border controls. Stronger regional cooperation will enable African countries to fully harness the opportunities created by the AfCFTA.”
Director-General, Benin Customs Administration, Colonel Raouf Malèhossou Aboudou:
“Harmonised procedures, coordinated risk management systems and stronger institutional partnerships will be critical to achieving seamless trade movement across regional corridors.”
Director, Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, Afreximbank, Dr Gainmore Zanamwe:
“Infrastructure is important, but what truly drives performance is an operating model built on accountability, coordination, technology and measurable service standards.”
What’s Next
The newly established Trilateral Strategic Steering Committee is expected to develop an implementation roadmap for the recommendations arising from the benchmarking mission. The participating customs administrations will work towards harmonising border procedures, improving digital connectivity, strengthening coordinated risk management and advancing One-Stop Border Post arrangements along the Sèmè-Kraké and Mfum-Ekok corridors to enhance intra-African trade under the AfCFTA.
Bottom Line
The Beitbridge benchmarking mission marks a significant step in regional customs cooperation, with Nigeria, Benin and Cameroon committing to adopt modern border management practices that can reduce trade barriers, improve border efficiency and accelerate economic integration across West and Central Africa.
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