- National Customs bosses set for strategic meeting on Monday
As African nations deepen preparations for the African Continental Free Tree Agreement (AfCFTA), the Acting Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has expressed optimism that Nigeria and Benin Republic could form the biggest mutually beneficial trade alliance in the region.
The Customs boss stressed this during an engagement with stakeholders when he visited the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post yesterday, even as he revealed that he is scheduled to hold a strategic meeting with the Customs leadership in Benin Republic on Monday.
Adeniyi noted that the world has tilted towards strategic national alliances for preferential trade, opining that Nigeria and Benin are strategically placed for such mutually beneficial trade relations.
He argued that worthwhile trade relations between Germany and France in Europe; Brazil and Argentina in South America; Japan and Korea in Asia; among others could be replicated in the West African sub-region between Nigeria and Benin Republic.
“We live in a world where preferential trade agreement will be the order of the day. This will determine how government will provide economic prosperity to its citizens. This means that people within the political block and geographical entities will trade with themselves under some frameworks like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Liberalization Scheme which started over 30 years ago.”
“While we are grappling with this, in other parts of the world, they have made significant progress and we have discovered that the biggest trade partners are those withing a preferential trade area. If you look at Europe for example, the biggest trade partners are Germany and France. You will also observe that they are the biggest promoters of the European Union. In south-east Asia, Korea and Japan are the biggest trading partners. Although they trade with other parts of the world, they trade with themselves more.”
According to him, modalities to achieve better trade relations whilst addressing the challenges bedeviling cross-border trade will be some of the top issues for discussion when the Customs leadership from Nigeria and Benin Republic meet on Monday.
He, however, added that the meeting between both national Customs bosses will guide the impending deliberations between Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Beninese counterpart, President Patrice Talon, in few weeks.
Adeniyi equally stated that reopening of the nation’s land borders fully, depends on the readiness of the local communities to corporate with Customs and other law enforcement agents in combating insecurity and smuggling.
“National Security is the business of every citizens and not security agents alone. Criminals live around us, those who carry arms and ammunition also live around us. You should help us with accurate intelligence reports to apprehend those involved in such practices.”
“Policies on national security are supposed to be dynamic processes. That’s why some borders were opened recently. Security agencies need intelligence from the communities on the nefarious activities of smugglers, and to properly protect the border areas against illicit importations,” the Customs boss said.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Badagry West Local Government, Hon. Joseph Gbenu expressed delight as the assurances given by the Customs Comptroller-General, stressing that the border community has enjoyed robust collaboration and support since the appointment of Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, as the Area Controller of Seme Command.
Gbenu specially commended NCS for the Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) projects in several parts of Badagry, even as he pledged increased stakeholder/ border communities’ partnership with Customs and other security agencies at the border axis.
Earlier, the Area Controller, Seme Border Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, posited that judicious use of the border would lead to increased trade between Nigeria and Benin Republic with huge economic benefits for both nations boasting a combined population of about 250million people.
Nnadi observed that the ECOWAS ETLS and the African Continental Free Tree Agreement (AFCFTA) were created to improve trade among countries within the sub-region and the continent, respectively. While they should also lead to the elimination of non-tariff barriers for unhindered market access for the countries.
He reeled out statistics for the various sub-regions, lamenting that the West African sub-region was yet to optimize the lofty gains and potentials available with the earlier signed treaties and agreements.
“Among the trade blocs in Africa, the ECOWAS region has a population of 428.6million people and ranks second after East Africa with a population of 474.9million people. It is expected that the potentials inherent in this advantageous position will be translated to increased trade among ECOWAS countries, especially between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
“Sadly, ECOWAS ranks fourth at 10 percent when it comes to trade within the African continent. Southern African Development Commission with only 69.2million people ranks first in trading among themselves as 32.12 percent. Common Market for Eastern Africa at 20.32 percent and Community of Saharan Africa at 16.49 percent. This is an indication that ECOWAS region is yet to maximize the gains of the trade liberalization scheme. This also underscores the level of our limited preparedness for the AFCFTA,” Comptroller Nnadi said.