Nigeria Customs and Afreximbank Enhance Border Trade

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) are advancing a regional border modernization plan to enhance cross-border trade among Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Cameroon as part of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This initiative, led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, was discussed during a high-level meeting at Afreximbank’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on October 12, 2026.

The meeting followed a benchmarking mission to Beitbridge Border Post in Zimbabwe and technical assessments of the Mfum–Ekok and Sèmè–Kraké border corridors. Deputy Comptroller of Customs and National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, stated that the meeting reviewed assessment findings and identified priority areas for intervention.

Key discussions included improving digital infrastructure, harmonizing procedures, and establishing a Customs Declaration Exchange System (CDES) to facilitate secure information exchange among the three countries’ Customs administrations.