Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command has joined forces with its counterparts in the Republic of Benin to facilitate trade which remains one of the three core functions of the NCS as enshrined in its enabling Act.
The move is seen in some quarters as a significant move towards bolstering economic collaboration between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin in the years ahead.
To this end, a Joint Border Management Stakeholders meeting has taken place at NCS, Seme Area Command headquarters, Seme.
The meeting which gave an opportunity to NCS to embark on stakeholders’ engagement was convened by the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Seme Area Command, Comptroller Wale Adenuga.
The stakeholders’ engagement which took place Tuesday brought together men and officers of NCS and their Republic of Benin counterparts, security agencies, government officials of both countries as well as licensed customs agents.
Giving an insight into the development, NCS, Seme Area Command, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Isah Sulaiman in a press statement made available to Maritime Bits averred that the partnership between Nigeria and Republic of Benin aims to improve trade facilitation along the bustling Lagos-Badagry border corridor which is known for its pivotal role in regional commerce.
Sulaiman, a Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC), quoted Adenuga using the joint border meeting to highlight the strategic importance of the Seme-Krake border to trade within the West African sub-region.
According to the CAC, the trade facilitation along the Seme-Krake border is a critical function in supporting the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Customs Chief emphasized that the meeting was a response to directives from the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Bashir Adewale Adeniyi to identify and eliminate impediments to trade, in accordance with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocols concerning the free movement of goods and individuals.
According to Sulaiman, Adenuga’s address underscored the border’s substantial economic potential for both countries which have nurtured strong historical ties dating back to their pre-independence days.
Continuing, Sulaiman said: “The forum yielded key insights including stringent measures against any officer or unofficial entity obstructing lawful trade, with promises of immediate investigations into any complaints raised by travelers and traders. Moreover, the Comptroller announced that truck examinations would now take place in designated areas to streamline import processes, enhancing efficiency at the border”.
Those who attended the meeting include representatives from the Nigerian Embassy in Republic of Benin and top security officials from both countries.
Maritime Bits gathered that all the participants at the meeting were all committed to the same vision of fostering seamless trade relations as notable discussions include reducing unnecessary checkpoints and promoting transparent dialogue to address trade-related challenges.
According to the statement, during the meeting, the Head of Republic of Benin Customs, Krake Border and co-chair of the Joint Border Partnership (JBP), Lt. Col Arnaud Midgrokan lauded this collaborative effort as a hopeful step toward revitalizing trade dynamics.
Midgroken promised to co-operate and collaborate regularly with his Nigerian counterpart to promote legal commercial activities and ensure that there are no compromises in the joint agreement of both countries.
