In a strategic move to enhance trade across the West African region, Nigeria and the Republic of Benin have introduced the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT), geared towards modernising customs operations.
The launch marks a major milestone in the pursuit of seamless trade integration and regional economic transformation across West Africa, among other goals.
Speaking at the launch of the development between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, held at the Seme-Krake Joint Border on Monday, the Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, outlined the history of the project, noting that SIGMAT is a flagship initiative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Comptroller Adeniyi stated that the initiative was aimed at digitalising and harmonising customs transit operations across member states, revealing that it was conceived over a decade ago.
According to him, the SIGMAT platform was designed to improve visibility of goods in transit, combat diversion and fraud along corridors, enhance inter-agency coordination, simplify border procedures and reduce delays, and facilitate trade while securing state revenue.
“Implementation began progressively with pilot deployments in countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Ghana, and Togo, with the support of the ECOWAS Commission and German Development Cooperation (GIZ).
“For Nigeria, SIGMAT reflects our strategic ambition to align with regional digital customs standards and drive the modernization of trade corridors,” he said.
He disclosed that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has completed all technical, operational, and policy prerequisites for SIGMAT deployment.
The Customs boss also highlighted the Service’s readiness, including development of a dedicated SIGMAT application, built by the in-house technical team; integration of SIGMAT with the Unified Customs Management System (B’Odogwu Application); and establishment of connectivity (secure VPN and ActiveMQ messaging infrastructure) with Benin.
Other steps taken include the deployment of the application at the SEME Area Command as the pilot corridor; technical testing and validation of message exchange protocols between Nigeria and the Benin Republic; and successful connectivity to the ECOWAS eHub, hosted in Lomé, Togo, which acts as the regional node for all SIGMAT communications.
Adeniyi also highlighted several key achievements, including the development of a standalone SIGMAT application tailored to Nigeria’s customs landscape; successful testing of real-time transit message exchange between Nigeria and Benin; and the mapping and harmonisation of entry/exit itineraries at the Seme-Krake border.
Other successes include the establishment of direct connectivity to the ECOWAS eHub, ensuring regional interoperability; and strengthened collaboration with the Benin Customs Administration through multiple bilateral technical meetings.
He noted that these milestones not only reflect Nigeria’s technical capacity but also its unwavering commitment to regional integration.
Speaking further, he pointed out several challenges that have delayed full rollout, such as the deployment of new clearance applications by both the Nigeria Customs Service and the Benin Customs Administration, and delays in technical feedback from the Benin Customs administration at critical stages of implementation.
Other challenges include varying levels of automation and ICT maturity across other Nigeria-Benin border posts, which may limit SIGMAT’s expansion beyond Seme-Krake in the short term; and the need for more robust stakeholder sensitisation and training, especially among transporters, clearing agents, and border agencies.
The issues also include language barrier, especially during the virtual and physical technical meetings; and limited operational awareness among some border communities and transit corridor stakeholders.
The Comptroller also revealed the proposed strategies of the NCS, including expanding SIGMAT deployment to additional border locations (e.g., Idiroko, Chikanda, and Katsina) with support from ECOWAS and national partners; as well as strengthening bilateral communication mechanisms to ensure timely technical engagement between Nigeria and Benin.
Other strategies include collaborating with ECOWAS and GIZ on capacity-building programmes for customs officers, private sector actors, and relevant MDAs. Similarly, a joint SIGMAT Monitoring Taskforce will be established to track system uptime, message flow, and procedural compliance.
The plans also include continued engagement with the ECOWAS SIGMAT Steering Committee to share lessons learned and support other member states in their implementation journey.
Adeniyi reaffirmed Nigeria’s full support for the broader ECOWAS digital trade facilitation agenda, including the expansion of SIGMAT to multimodal transport corridors (seaports, airports, and inland container depots); and the alignment of SIGMAT data with emerging platforms such as the ECOWAS Regional Trade and Transport Observatory (RTTO).
Others are collaboration on cross-border digital identity and risk profiling for compliant traders; and harmonisation of national legislation to support the legal framework for transit under the SIGMAT regime.
The Customs boss emphasised that the launch is more than a technical achievement, adding that it is a powerful demonstration of regional solidarity and institutional leadership.
“Let us harness the momentum of this milestone to transform our trade corridors into engines of prosperity, security, and opportunity for the people of West Africa,” he said.
Adeniyi expressed gratitude to the ECOWAS Commission, the Benin Customs Administration, GIZ Development Cooperation, and all stakeholders for their continued partnership and support.
