As part of efforts to boost regional trade and eliminate bottlenecks linked to trade between Nigeria and Benin Republic, the Customs organizations of the two countries, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Customs Administration of Benin Republic jointly launched the deployment of the SIGMAT connectivity platform.
Unveiling the platform on Monday in the presence of stakeholders and journalists at Seme-Krake border post, Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and the Director General of Benin Customs Administration, Mme Adidjath Hassan Zanouvii, expressed optimism that the system will find solutions to cross-borders issues bothering on trade.
Delivering his speech, CGC Adeniyi noted that the implementation of the SIGMAT platform aims to digitalize and harmonize Customs transit operations across member states. Saying that the concept was conceived over a decade ago, he averred that it’s designed to connect both customs services and remove some of the challenges faced by operators.
The NCS boss emphasized that the system is resilient and intended to eliminate bottlenecks linked to international trade, noting that the platform has already worked effectively in other several ECOWAS countries along the corridor.
Expressing his confidence about the platform’s success, the CGC pointed out that officers from the service have been trained to manage the platform with support from critical stakeholders.
According to him, the SIGMAT platform will foster cooperation between the two customs organizations, adding that it has the capacity to integrate with the B’Odogwu system in Nigeria.
Assuring stakeholders and other government agencies that the service will ensure proper enlightenment and sensitization about the newly launched platform for further implementation, he expressed optimism that it will facilitate the movement of goods along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor.
“I am sure you have heard some of the historical context of this project, which aims to digitalize and harmonize customs transit operations across our member states. The concept was conceived over a decade ago, and the electronic platform was designed to achieve these objectives. Primarily, we want to improve the visibility of goods in transit,” he said.
He disclosed that the platform will combat diversion and fraud along the Nigeria-West corridor, adding that the platform will also foster inter-agency coordination and collaboration between the two countries. He added that for sake of l stakeholders, they want to simplify procedures at the borders and, by doing so, reduce delays.
In the CGC words: “Most importantly, we want to ensure that trade fosters revenue and prosperity. We want to enhance trade facilitation between our two countries. Of course, implementation has already started with deployments in several ECOWAS member states, such as Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Ghana, and Togo, with the support and assistance of the ECOWAS Commission and the German Development Cooperation Agency.
“For us in Nigeria, SIGMAT represents our strategic ambition to align with regional digital customs standards and to modernize the globalization of our trade portfolio. We will be hearing about the current state of SIGMAT in the next few hours, possibly during the presentation by the technical team. We have some achievements to highlight.
“These include the development of SIGMAT, which is currently a standalone system tailored for the Nigerian customs landscape; the successful testing of real-time transit message exchange between Nigeria and our colleagues in Benin Republic; the marking and anonymization of entry and exit itineraries at this particular border station; the establishment of direct connectivity to the ECOWAS electronic hub, ensuring regional interoperability; and strengthened collaboration between our customs administrations through various technical meetings and consultations held over the past month.
“In the process, we have encountered several challenges, which I hope the technical team will address during their presentation. The most important challenge is the need for more extensive training and sensitization of our stakeholders.
“We must implement a robust stakeholder engagement strategy to ensure that we include not only our economic operators but also other government agencies involved in this process.
“Looking ahead, the Nigerian Customs Service sees many opportunities. We believe that in the near future, we will be able to expand SIGMAT deployments to additional border locations, particularly places like Ndiru, Chikanga, and the new facility planned for Seme. We look forward to strengthening bilateral communication mechanisms to ensure timely technical engagement between our agencies and institutions.
“A very important priority is to collaborate with JIZ and ECOWAS on capacity-building programs and stakeholder sensitization. As we deploy these pilots, we also plan to establish a task force responsible for monitoring deployments, promoting successes, and addressing challenges.
“For governance purposes, we will continue to engage with the ECOWAS SIGMAT steering committee to share lessons learned and support other members in their implementation journeys.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, today’s launch is more than just a technical achievement. It is a powerful demonstration of rigorous legality and institutional leadership. I urge us all to join in making this milestone a transformative step to turn our trade corridors into engines of prosperity, security, and opportunity for the people of West Africa.
“Let us remind ourselves that elaborate buildings and infrastructure like the one we are jointly occupying will not, on their own, facilitate trade, harmonize processes, interconnect systems, or enhance our collaborative spirit to address issues between us,” CGC Adeniyi explained.
On her part, the Director General of Benin Customs Administration, Adidjath Zanouvii, declared that the implementation of the system will collectively address cross-border issues affecting both customs administrations.
According to her, the SIGMAT platform between the two countries marks a major milestone in the collective pursuit of seamless trade integration and regional economic transformation across West Africa.
The CGC later inaugurated the newly completed Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) office and the Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR Senior Officers Mess and Gym House.