Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon Advance Border Modernisation at Beitbridge Benchmarking Mission
Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon Advance Border Modernisation at Beitbridge Benchmarking Mission
New Path to Boost Intra-African Trade through Coordinated Border Management
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to coordinated border management, trade facilitation, and regional economic integration following a high-level benchmarking mission to the Beitbridge Border Post between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Led by Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, the mission brought together Mr. Fongod Nuvaga, Director-General of Cameroon Customs; Colonel Raouf Malèhossou Aboudou, Director-General of Benin Customs; Mrs. Lonto Ndlovu, Acting Commissioner of Customs and Excise at the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA); and Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu, Chairman of Bergmans Security Consultant and Supplies Limited. The initiative was supported by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) as part of ongoing efforts to deepen intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking during the adoption of the Joint Communiqué on Monday, 27 July 2026, CGC Adeniyi described the mission as a strategic opportunity to move beyond policy discussions and embrace practical implementation of modern border management systems. He emphasised that lessons from Beitbridge and Chirundu Border Posts reinforced the importance of coordinated institutional frameworks, digital integration, and collaborative leadership in transforming Africa’s trade corridors.
“Beitbridge has demonstrated that border modernisation is not merely about infrastructure. 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,” Adeniyi said.
Over five days, participants engaged in technical sessions, facility tours, and executive briefings by Zimbabwean border agencies. The benchmarking team, comprising NCS, Cameroon Customs, Benin Customs, Bergmans Security Consultant, and Bsmart Technologies, examined the Beitbridge Modernisation and Concession Model, including its financing structure, operational framework, revenue management systems, and governance architecture.
Delegates toured freight terminals, cargo processing facilities, scanning operations, traffic segmentation systems, and integrated ICT infrastructure, gaining firsthand insights into how technology and institutional coordination have transformed one of Africa’s busiest border crossings into a model of efficient trade facilitation.
The Joint Communiqué identified the Sèmè-Kraké corridor linking Nigeria and Benin, and the Mfum-Ekok corridor connecting Nigeria and Cameroon, as strategic routes poised to benefit from coordinated border management and One-Stop Border Post arrangements.
Mr. Fongod Nuvaga of Cameroon Customs stressed the need for collective action to remove procedural bottlenecks while maintaining effective controls, noting that stronger cooperation would enable African countries to fully harness AfCFTA opportunities. Colonel Raouf Aboudou of Benin Customs highlighted harmonised procedures and coordinated risk management as critical to achieving seamless trade movement across West Africa.
Dr. Gainmore Zanamwe, Afreximbank’s Director for Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, underscored that the mission was designed not only to showcase infrastructure but also to expose participants to governance structures and institutional reforms underpinning successful border modernisation.
The mission concluded with Nigeria, Cameroon, and Benin committing to establish a Trilateral Strategic Steering Committee to drive implementation of recommendations. The three customs administrations pledged to pursue harmonised procedures, digital interoperability, coordinated risk management, and sustained investment in personnel development.
