In a landmark move aimed at curbing cross-border fraud and facilitating seamless trade, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Benin Republic Customs Administration on Monday officially launched the SIGMAT connectivity platform at the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post.
The platform, a regional digital customs solution, is designed to digitalise and harmonise customs transit operations between both countries and across West Africa. The SIGMAT (System for Interconnected Management of Goods in Transit) initiative marks a major stride in the regional effort to modernise trade corridors and combat revenue leakages.
Speaking at the launch, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, described SIGMAT as a major milestone in the collective pursuit of regional economic transformation. “We want to improve the visibility of goods in transit, combat diversion and fraud, and simplify procedures at our borders to reduce delays,” he said.
Adeniyi added that the system will enhance inter-agency coordination, facilitate trade, and align Nigeria with ECOWAS digital customs standards. The platform will also support better data sharing and real-time monitoring of goods in transit, bolstering revenue assurance and national security.
The implementation of SIGMAT in Nigeria follows successful deployments in other West African countries including Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Ghana, and Togo, with support from the ECOWAS Commission and the German Development Corporation (GIZ).
The Comptroller-General acknowledged some initial challenges, particularly around stakeholder training and sensitisation, but expressed optimism that continued engagements would resolve these issues. “We will be expanding deployments to additional borders like Giro and the new site at Samia,” he said.
Director-General of the Benin Republic Customs Administration, Adidjatou Hassan Zanouvi, echoed the optimism, stressing that SIGMAT will significantly ease movement of goods, enhance fraud detection, and improve revenue collection. “This is a crucial step in regional cooperation. SIGMAT will ensure that trade from Abidjan to Nigeria via Benin is seamless and secure,” she said.
Both Customs chiefs emphasised the need for continuous capacity-building and stakeholder engagement to ensure effective implementation. The next steps include establishing a monitoring task force and continued collaboration with ECOWAS to support other member countries in rolling out the system.
The launch signals a renewed commitment by Nigeria and Benin Republic to enhance trade facilitation, tackle fraud, and boost regional economic integration through digital innovation.
