from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria Bureau
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – THE African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has adopted Nigeria’s customs modernisation model to enhance the implementation of its Customs Modernisation Project.
This has culminated in the signing of a 20-year public-private partnership agreement with Bergmans Security to initiate the project, signed on the sidelines of the recently concluded Digital Trade Forum in Lagos.
The Nigerian-headquartered Bergmans is a public safety adviser and technology contractor for national intelligence, military establishments and cross-border trade organisations.
Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, said the secretariat had adopted Nigeria’s customs modernisation model after observing the West African country’s success in deploying digital technologies that have enhanced revenue collection and improved operational efficiency.
“Nigeria is benefiting from the deployment of these technologies. From our point of view, the continent has a lot to gain from the model that was introduced here in Nigeria,” he said.
Mene further explained the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bergmans.
“We believe that the partnership with Bergmans Security will enable us to reach our objective of creating a continental, modern, interoperable customs system that will ensure that all our economic operators benefit from an expanded market,” he told delegates.
The AfCFTA Customs Modernisation Project is forecast to strengthen customs cooperation among member states through harmonised digital platforms, enhance trade facilitation, optimise revenue collection, and accelerate the full implementation of the AfCFTA by creating a more efficient and integrated continental trading environment.
Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of Customs of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), bemoaned the lack of harmonised technology among African customs administrations as a major obstacle to the implementation of the continental trade agreement.
“We are delighted that it is a Nigerian company that has been given this platform to extend what they have been doing to the rest of Africa and for us to achieve trade facilitation and the implementation of the AfCFTA,” he said at the forum.
The AfCFTA is the world’s largest free trade area, connecting 54 member states with a combined population of 1,4 billion people and a gross domestic product of around US$3,4 trillion.
– CAJ News