Nigeria’s first-ever land-bonded terminal, operated by Only God is Wise Nigeria Limited, is redefining cross-border trade with promises of faster cargo delivery, reduced costs, and seamless customs processes for importers and freight agents.
The facility, strategically located along the Seme border corridor, serves as a vital extension of Nigeria’s port logistics chain. It was established to ease congestion at the seaports while providing traders a cost-effective alternative for clearing goods and facilitating legitimate trade.
Speaking during a recent facility tour, the terminal’s Manager, Mr. Abidemi Adetona, said the bonded terminal was created to complement seaport operations by offering efficiency and flexibility under the full oversight of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Adetona described the terminal’s greatest advantages as speed and cost-effectiveness. According to him, importers can complete cargo movement from Cotonou to Nigeria within minutes, avoiding the long waiting time often experienced at the Lagos seaports.
“This is the first land bonded terminal ever defined in Nigeria,” he said. “Every procedure you see at the seaports — from documentation to customs inspection — is replicated here. The Nigerian Customs Service supervises all movements, from the Benin Republic handover to the final delivery at our terminal.”
“This corridor offers a shorter and cheaper route. Instead of spending days at the seaport, goods are moved here and cleared in record time. It helps importers save both cost and time while maintaining compliance with customs regulations,” he explained.
He added that the terminal is equipped with modern handling equipment such as forklifts and reach stackers, which ensure that containers are easily lifted, stacked, and moved without delay. “We provide all the tools needed for seamless operations — everything that makes agents’ work easier and less stressful,” he noted.
Adetona also emphasized that customs officers are stationed throughout the facility to ensure transparency and adherence to trade procedures. “There’s full customs presence here. Every consignment is tracked from Benin Republic to our terminal. It’s the same level of oversight and integrity as the seaports,” he stated.
To further simplify operations, he revealed that the company is integrating technology into its systems to streamline documentation and payment. “Agents can now initiate and complete their payments directly from their phones. We’re gradually shifting away from manual processing to digital facilitation,” he said.
Despite economic fluctuations, Adetona disclosed that the company has maintained the same service charges for six years. “Since 2019, we haven’t changed a single thing in how we charge. We understand the hardship in the business environment, so our focus is on facilitation, not exploitation,” he explained.
He added that the facility currently operates below capacity, but has the infrastructure to accommodate up to 1,000 percent more trade volume, if patronage improves. “We’re just scratching the surface. Once awareness grows, this facility will transform the way cross-border trade is conducted,” he said.
Adetona urged importers, freight agents, and logistics operators to take advantage of the land-bonded terminal, describing it as a game-changer in regional trade logistics. According to him, the facility represents the future of border trade facilitation in Nigeria, offering faster processes, reduced costs, improved compliance, and stronger trade flow between Nigeria and its neighboring countries.
