The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Cameroon Customs Administration have launched a joint assessment of the Ekok-Mfum One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) as part of efforts to eliminate cross-border trade friction, strengthen border security and drive regional economic integration.

The exercise is expected to support the digitisation of customs workflows, optimisation of physical infrastructure and creation of new economic opportunities in line with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Speaking during the high-level assessment exercise in Abuja yesterday, Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr Bashir Adeniyi, highlighted the longstanding partnership between both administrations, noting that despite their geographical proximity, movement across the border remained unnecessarily difficult.

“We are not building from nothing. We are taking something that works between the two of us and asking whether it can be made to work for the region and hopefully for our continent,” Adeniyi said.

He acknowledged the support of the African Development Bank, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the AfCFTA Secretariat.

Adeniyi also disclosed that both customs delegations had recently undertaken a study tour of the Beitbridge Border Post between South Africa and Zimbabwe to benchmark international best practices.

He said the technical teams were now working to finalise a joint operational agreement expected to be signed at the forthcoming C-PACT conference.

The Director-General of Cameroon Customs, Fongod Nuvaga, described the assessment as the first concrete step towards unified border operations.

He urged both sides to focus on real-time data sharing and joint risk-management systems so that cargo and travellers could be processed once rather than subjected to duplicate checks.

The exercise concluded with the launch of the Mfum-Ekok Border Modernisation Initiative.