Clearing agents operating at the Seme border have expressed deep pessimism regarding the prospects of revitalizing bilateral trade with the Benin Republic, citing several past assurances made without positive results. This is even as they decried the ongoing economic hardship and a rising death toll among their ranks.
In a somber assessment of the situation, clearing agents who spoke with Shipping Position Daily last week lamented the significant decline in trade activities and revenue generation, highlighting the toll it has taken on their livelihoods and well-being.
Recall that, in a move to bolster established regional partnership, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) led by its Comptroller-General; Bashir Adewale Adeniyi recently held a meeting with the Customs Administration of Benin Republic. The delegation to Benin Republic was received by Mrs. Adidjatou Hassan Zanouvi, the Director-General of Benin Customs.
According to a press statement issued by the National Public Relations Officer of NCS; Abdullahi Maiwada, this development was a joint effort to enhance bilateral trade and streamline prior agreements. The key agenda for the meeting as stated by Nigeria Customs boss; Adeniyi, was to discuss strategies that would amplify trade activities and ensure effective implementation of earlier recommendations.
However, our correspondent who visited the Seme- Krake border last week observed that the once-thriving trade hub at Seme has experienced a prolonged period of low activity, with trade volumes consistently falling short of targets set in previous years.
Clearing agents who spoke with Shipping Position Daily attributed this decline to a combination of factors, including increased duty tariffs and the closure of key trade routes, which have hampered clearance processes and led to significant delays in cargo processing.
The Seme Chapter Chairman of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Mr. Onyekachi Ojinma expressed skepticism over the effectiveness of the Customs Comptroller General’s recent visits to Benin Republic for bilateral talks while criticizing the lack of tangible progress in finalizing the bilateral trade agreements.
Ojinma questioned the necessity of the CG’s repeated trips to the border, suggesting that they serve primarily to placate the public rather than effect meaningful change in trade relations. Citing the case of Niger Republic border that has already opened for business, Ojinma argued that there is little justification for the continued delays in facilitating trade with the Benin Republic.
Moreover, the Seme ANLCA boss stressed that Cotonou, Benin Republic’s economic hub, stands ready for business, awaiting Nigeria’s commitment to engage in trade activities. He called for the need for decisive action to break the impasse and revitalize bilateral trade between the two countries.
Also speaking with Shipping Position Daily, the Seme Chapter Patron of ANLCA, Prince Sulieman Momoh shed light on the grim reality facing those reliant on the border’s economic activities. He expressed grave concern over the consistent decline in trade activities at Seme, emphasizing that revenue targets have not been met for nearly a decade.
According to Momoh, the imposition of exorbitant duty has compounded the plight of traders, with importers facing steep fees of up to N10 to N15 million per container. He said such prohibitive costs have effectively stalled clearance processes, resulting in significant delays and a stark reduction in trade volumes.
Momoh revealed shocking statistics of approximately 65 deaths among clearing agents in recent months due to hunger and economic hardship over the past nine years. He however called for the official reopening of the border where all restrictions on vehicle importation are lifted to stimulate economic activities and restore prosperity to the region.
On his part, a freight forwarder at the Seme border and Board of Trustees Secretary of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders Nigeria (AREFFN); Mr. Innocent Elum acknowledged the Customs CG’s efforts to breathe new life into the border’s business activities but lamented the absence of concrete results from his visits to Benin Republic.
Elum noted that despite initial optimism sparked by the CG’s promises, stakeholders remain disillusioned as the anticipated revival of trade at the border fails to materialize. He noted that stakeholders are eagerly awaiting evidence of positive outcomes from his diplomatic efforts.
He said: “We’ve been seeing the CG of Customs going to Benin Republic and coming back since he began his tenure. He is actually trying his best to ensure that the border gets back to life in terms of business. But the result of the frequent visits to the Benin Republic is yet to be seen in terms of whether it has yielded any positive results for us. We have not seen anything. When they first started, we had high hopes that in the next couple of weeks things we’re going to have the border come back to life based on what the CG himself told us.
“So, we are even tired of hearing about him going there and all of that and all of that. His counterpart in the Benin Republic who is a woman also came to the border and then fired- up our hopes again that since women are now involved; we are going to hear good news soon. But we are still at the rudimentary level. We are still hearing about going and coming, nothing has changed. But we are hopeful. You know the government and its bureaucracies, maybe that is the stage at which both countries are now, trying to put finishing touches to the logistics. So, we are hopeful that the frequent visits by the CG will yield positive results. But in practical terms, the reality on ground is that nothing yet has happened. The situation remains the same in terms of clearance of goods or making the place user-friendly. It remains what it has been since the border got closed” Elum stressed.
