The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Benin Republic Customs Administration have disclosed that work was underway to establish a technology-enabled Joint Border Post anchored on Customs interconnectivity, joint risk management, coordinated enforcement, secure infrastructure, harmonised cross-border, among others, to facilitate seamless movement of legitimate trade and reduce delays along the Sèmè-Kraké corridor.

According to both administrations, the arrangement would enable a declaration lodged on one side of the border to become visible to the other administration in real time, and allow transit cargo to be tracked from origin to destination.

This would also ensure that risk profiles or enforcement alerts raised by one administration were immediately transmitted to the other while still useful.

Speaking during an assessment of the joint border post at Sèmè Kraké, the Comptroller General of NCS, Dr Bashir Adeniyi, said the border sits on the Abidjan–Lagos corridor and carries 70 per cent of West Africa’s transit trade.

He said every hour lost at the crossing multiplied across thousands of consignments and travellers, with the delays ultimately reflected in the prices of goods in markets stretching from Cotonou to Lagos.

Adeniyi said the joint assessment had also identified critical infrastructure and operational gaps requiring urgent attention, while listing the restoration of scanning capability as one of the priorities.

He argued that cargo examination should increasingly rely on technology and images, rather than the physical opening of every crate.

He identified better traffic and yard management as another priority, including dedicated lanes, holding areas, clear signage and a regulated market space.

The NCS boss added that access control, surveillance systems and lighting at the border also needed to be strengthened to improve security and operational efficiency.

Adeniyi called for the establishment of a permanent Nigeria-Benin enforcement and intelligence mechanism to facilitate coordinated patrols and rapid responses to security threats.

He further advocated harmonised bilingual standard operating procedures covering cargo, passengers, inspection, transit operations and incident escalation.

He said the objective was to transform Sèmè-Kraké into a strategic border modernisation programme that could provide a model for other border crossings across the West African sub-region.

On his part, the Director-General, Customs Administration of the Benin Republic, Col. Raouf Malehossou, stressed the need for deeper cooperation between the two countries through joint border controls, digital interoperability, and harmonised customs procedures to facilitate trade and strengthen border security.

Malehossou said both countries must move beyond sharing experiences and begin implementing coordinated border management systems where trucks, traders and travellers undergo a single process, while customs data systems communicate before goods and vehicles reach the border.

He posited that joint risk management would enable the two countries’ administrations to identify and address potential threats early without subjecting legitimate traders to duplicated checks and unnecessary formalities.

Malehossou pointed out that modern roads, scanners and other infrastructure alone could not guarantee efficient and secure borders, stressing that institutional coordination, digital interoperability, clear responsibilities and continuous investment in personnel were equally vital.

The Benin Customs boss emphasised that the ultimate objective was to maximise the benefits of intra-African trade, particularly along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor, which he described as a critical artery for regional commerce.

He reaffirmed Benin Republic’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Nigeria, describing the Sèmè-Kraké crossing as a longstanding symbol of the cordial relationship between both countries.