By Sandra Chukwunyere
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Benin Customs have begun a joint assessment of the One-Stop Border Post at Sèmè-Kraké as part of efforts to tackle persistent delays and make cross-border trade between the two countries faster and more efficient.
The exercise is expected to improve coordination between the two Customs administrations, reduce duplication of procedures and facilitate the movement of legitimate goods and services along the strategic Nigeria-Benin trade corridor.
Speaking during the joint assessment ceremony at Sèmè-Kraké, Comptroller-General of the NCS, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the exercise would assess the operational readiness of the border, review existing processes and facilities, and demonstrate modern solutions being introduced to improve border operations.
Adeniyi described the Sèmè-Kraké crossing as a critical gateway for regional trade because of its location along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.
According to him, the border is one of the busiest land crossings in West Africa and plays a major role in the movement of people and goods between Nigeria, Benin and other countries in the region.
He said the corridor carries about 70 per cent of the sub-region’s transit trade, making efficient operations at Sèmè-Kraké important to the economies of both countries and the wider West African region.
Adeniyi noted that the border operates around the clock throughout the year, stressing that delays at such a major trade gateway have consequences that go beyond the immediate border community.
“A corridor of that weight does not fail quietly. Every hour lost at this gate is multiplied across thousands of consignments and tens of thousands of travellers, and is paid for in the price of goods in markets from Cotonou to Lagos,” he said.
The Customs boss said reducing the time spent at the border would translate into savings for traders, transporters, businesses and consumers across the region.
“An hour saved here is saved for the whole region. There are few places on this continent where the ratio between effort and effect is as favourable as it is at this crossing,” Adeniyi added.
Customs administrations target technology gaps
Despite the physical integration provided by the One-Stop Border Post, Adeniyi said differences in technology and operational systems between the two Customs administrations remained a major area requiring attention.
He said Nigeria was determined to work with Benin to close the systems gaps and establish a more effective arrangement for sharing information.
According to him, efforts were already underway to interconnect the two Customs administrations through a common data-exchange arrangement, building on their experience with regional transit operations.
Under the proposed arrangement, declarations made on one side of the border would be available to the Customs administration on the other side in real time.
Transit consignments would also be tracked from their point of origin to their final destination, making it easier for both administrations to monitor cargo and identify potential irregularities.
Adeniyi said risk profiles and enforcement alerts generated by either Customs administration would also be transmitted to the other side while the information remained operationally useful.
He said the approach would allow the two administrations to strengthen enforcement without unnecessarily slowing down legitimate trade.
The Comptroller-General said the need for closer cooperation was particularly important given the volume of informal trade between the two countries.
He noted that about 22 per cent of Benin’s informal exports are destined for Nigeria, adding that informal trade accounts for a significant share of economic activity in both countries, particularly in Benin.
Benin Customs welcomes initiative
The Director-General of Benin Customs, Raouf Malehossou, commended the NCS for the initiative, saying stronger integration of trade procedures would support economic growth in both countries and the wider West African region.
Malehossou said the One-Stop Border Post would help reduce the burden on traders, travellers and other stakeholders who use the crossing.
He said closer cooperation between the two administrations would also strengthen coordinated risk management, which he described as one of the core principles of the World Customs Organisation.
“To have a joint border post reduces stress for stakeholders, travellers and everyone that uses it. It gives birth to coordinated risk management, which is one of the core principles of the World Customs Organisation,” he said.
The Benin Customs chief stressed that the effectiveness of the border directly affects the people and businesses that depend on it.
“When there is smooth movement, stakeholders enjoy it, and when it is not smooth, they suffer it,” he added.
Focus on seamless movement
The Sèmè-Kraké One-Stop Border Post is designed to strengthen coordination between Nigeria and Benin and reduce the duplication of controls and procedures at the border.
The joint assessment is expected to help both administrations identify remaining gaps in infrastructure, technology and operational processes while developing practical solutions to improve the movement of cargo and travellers.
For traders and transport operators, improved coordination could translate into shorter processing times, fewer repetitive procedures and greater predictability in cross-border transactions.
The initiative is also expected to strengthen enforcement by allowing the two Customs administrations to share relevant information and coordinate their approach to risk management.
Adeniyi said the ultimate objective was to ensure that the border served as a facilitator of legitimate trade while maintaining effective controls against smuggling and other forms of illicit activity.
With the Nigeria-Benin corridor serving as a major artery for regional commerce, the two Customs administrations are expected to deepen their cooperation in the areas of digitalisation, data exchange, coordinated risk management and border management.
The joint effort is aimed at making the Sèmè-Kraké crossing faster, safer and more efficient for legitimate trade, while strengthening economic integration between Nigeria, Benin and the wider West African region.
