Nigeria and Cameroon Launch Mfum-Ekok Trade Initiative

Nigeria and Cameroon have initiated the Mfum-Ekok Border Modernisation Initiative, unveiled on Wednesday during a joint assessment by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Cameroon Customs Administration. This project aims to improve border infrastructure, deploy technology-driven solutions, and reduce trade bottlenecks along a key trade corridor linking Cross River State in Nigeria with Cameroon’s South-West Region.

The initiative supports the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) objectives and is expected to enhance trade facilitation and economic cooperation. Customs officials from both countries began a joint assessment of the Ekok-Mfum One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) to eliminate barriers to cross-border trade.

Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized the need for expanded bilateral cooperation, while Cameroon’s Director-General of Customs, Fongod Nuvaga, noted the initiative's focus on efficiency through real-time data exchange and joint risk management. Key partners include the African Development Bank, ECOWAS, ECCAS, Afreximbank, and the AfCFTA Secretariat.