In line with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, tripod policy thrust hinged on consolidation, collaboration and innovatiom aimed to achieve the core mandates of the Nigeria Customs Service as enshrined in the Customs act 2023.
These policy thrust has been the various Commands tool and catalyst for engaging in several projects for operational efficiency. The Customs boss has consistently adhere to this tripod as a veritable tool to provide some of the needed critical infrastructures of all units and Commands; as he embarks in series of projects commissioning.
In view of the backdrop, on Monday, the 19th of May 2025, the Comptroller-General of Customs Commissioned several projects at the Seme Customs Area Command, under the stewardship of the unassuming, ddisciplined resourceful and team player Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Ben Oramalugo PhD. The projects are the newly renovated Senior Officers Mess, Gym House and the state-of-the-art Office Complex of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) at the Command.
In his welcome address at the event, Compt. Oramalugo, said, “Today’s event is more than the unveiling of physical structures; it is a celebration of our resolved commitment to teamwork, dedication, and the shared vision of the Nigeria Customs Service under the leadership of CGC BA Adeniyi to create an enabling environment for our officers and their families. The renovated Officers’ Mess stands as a symbol of our commitment to improving the welfare and morale of our personnel, providing more conducive space for relaxation, camaraderie, and professional bonding”.
He asserted, “Similarly, the new COWA Office Complex represents our recognition of the invaluable contributions of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association in supporting our officers, fostering community development and promoting the well-being of families within the Seme Command”.
The high point of the ceremony was when Compt. Oramalugo also used the opportunity to present a detail performance of the Command in carrying out its core mandates.
His words: “From January to April 2025, the Command generated the sum of Two Billion, Eight Hundred and Thirty-Three, Million, Four Hundred and Fifty-Four Thousand, Four Hundred and Four Naira and Eighty-Five Kobo (N2, 833,454,444.85k) only. In terms of export the Command processed over One Hundred and Eighty-Four Thousand (184,000) metric tonnes of export goods valued at over Thirty-Six Billion Naira (N36) The strategies on Anti-smuggling has resulted in many arrest and seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over Eight Hundred Million Naira, a feat that underscores our commitment to excellence and zero tolerance to smuggling”.
In the same vein, the Customs boss launched the SIGMAT connectivity project between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin. This project is the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) and it is a flagship initiative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The project seeks seamless trade integration and regional economic transformation across West Africa amongst others. The meeting between the CGC and his counterpart from the Republic of Benin took place at the conference room of the Command.
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.
• Facilitate trade while securing state revenue.
Implementation of the SIGMAT 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).
In his speech, the Customs boss, said, “For Nigeria, SIGMAT reflects our strategic ambition to align with regional digital customs standards and drive the modernisation of trade corridors”.
His words: “I am pleased to report that Nigeria Customs Service has completed all technical,
operational, and policy prerequisites for SIGMAT deployment. Highlights of our readiness include:
• Development of a dedicated SIGMAT application, built by our in-house technical team.
• Integration of SIGMAT with our Unified Customs Management System (B’Odogwu Application).
• Establishment of connectivity (secure VPN and ActiveMQ messaging infrastructure) with Benin.
• 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.
• Successful connectivity to the ECOWAS eHub, hosted in Lomé, Togo, which acts as the regional node for all SIGMAT communications. ”
The Comptroller-General of Customs listed the acheivements of the SIGMAT project thus far as:
The Development of a standalone SIGMAT application tailored for Nigeria’s customs landscape.
• Successful testing of real-time transit message exchange between Nigeria and Benin.
• Mapping and harmonisation of entry/exit itineraries at the Seme-Krake border.
• Establishment of direct connectivity to the ECOWAS eHub, ensuring regional interoperability.
• Strengthened collaboration with the Benin Customs Administration through multiple bilateral technical meetings.
These milestones not only reflect Nigeria’s technical capacity but also our unwavering commitment to regional integration.
The CG also listed the challenges of the project which include:
Deployment of new clearance applications of both Nigeria Customs Service and the Benin Customs Administration.
• Delays in technical feedback from our partner administration in Benin at critical stages of implementation.
• Varying levels of automation and ICT maturity across other Nigeria-Benin border posts, which may limit SIGMAT expansion beyond Seme-Krake in the short term.
• The need for more robust stakeholder sensitisation and training, especially among transporters, clearing agents, and border agencies.
• Language barrier especially during the virtual and physical technical meetings.
• Limited operational awareness among some border communities and transit corridor stakeholders.
The Comptroller-General also suggests the way forward which includes:
• To expand SIGMAT deployment to additional border locations (e.g., Idiroko, Chikanda, and Katsina) with support from ECOWAS and national partners.
• Strengthen bilateral communication mechanisms to ensure timely technical engagement between Nigeria and Benin.
• Collaborate with ECOWAS and GIZ on capacity building programmes for customs officers, private sector actors, and relevant MDAs.
• Establish a joint SIGMAT Monitoring Taskforce to track system uptime, message flow, and procedural compliance.
• Continue engagement with the ECOWAS SIGMAT Steering Committee to share lessons learnt and support other member states in their implementation journey.
The NCS Mandate on SIGMAT was also stated by the CG, his words “We take this opportunity to reaffirm 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).
• Alignment of SIGMAT data with emerging platforms such as the ECOWAS Regional lTrade and Transport Observatory (RTTO).
• Collaboration on cross-border digital identity and risk profiling for compliant traders.
• Harmonisation of national legislation to support the legal framework for transit under the SIGMAT regime”.
In conclusion, the Comptroller-General added that ” today’s launch is more than a technical achievement; 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”.
The CG thanked the ECOWAS Commission, the Benin Customs Administration, the GIZ Development Cooperation, and all stakeholders for their continued partnership and support.
