Customs authorities from Nigeria and Cameroon have launched a joint assessment of the Ekok-Mfum One-Stop Border Post, targeting trade bottlenecks, security vulnerabilities, and regional economic barriers along the shared corridor.
The initiative, themed “Leveraging NCS Trade Modernisation to Advance Seamless Cross-Border Trade,” was disclosed to journalists on Wednesday in Lagos by Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The exercise convened customs officials, security agencies, development partners, and community leaders to streamline operations.
Addressing the forum, Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi highlighted that despite the physical proximity of both nations, cross-border movement remains costly and slow for traders.
“We are taking something that works and asking if it can serve the region and continent,” Adeniyi said, noting that technical teams are currently finalizing a joint operational agreement.
Expected to be signed at the upcoming C-PACT conference, the agreement will formalise protocols for coordinated controls, data exchange, and standardised procedures at Mfum-Ekok.
To inform the operational model, delegations from both countries recently visited the Beitbridge Border Post between South Africa and Zimbabwe to observe best practices in joint operations and technology-driven border management.
The Director-General of Cameroon Customs, Fongod Nuvaga, framed the assessment as a foundational step toward fully unified operations, calling specifically for real-time data sharing and joint risk management to eradicate duplicate cargo inspections.
The meeting also served as the launchpad for the broader Mfum-Ekok Border Modernisation Initiative, designed to digitise border workflows, upgrade physical infrastructure, and align cross-border trade with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Supported by institutional partners including the African Development Bank (AfDB), ECOWAS, Afreximbank, AfCFTA, and ECCAS, officials state that the project’s performance will be measured by reduced clearance times, lower transit costs, higher trade volumes, and enhanced security, potentially establishing the corridor as a benchmark for AfCFTA integration. (NAN)
