By Uzor Odigbo
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have expressed concerns over the barriers of multiple checkpoints in Nigeria corridor linking international frontiers.
ECOWAS/ USAID alongside the Nigeria Shipper’s Council have introduced cross-border traders and stakeholders to a new platform, ECOWAS Trade Obstacles Alert Mechanism (TOAM) in order to eliminate non-tariff barriers.
The event held in Friday in Lagos was attended by stakeholders including; Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), freight forwarders, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Manufacturer’s Association of Nigeria, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), truck owners among others.
Speaking at the sensitization programme, put together by Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) on border security agencies, traders, chambers of commerce, among other stakeholders within the West African sub-region , the Principal Trade Advisor, ECOWAS -USAID Operational Programme, ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Justin Bayili, expressed concerns of over 57 checkpoints along Mile 2 to Badagry expressway of the Lagos Abidjan corridor.
He said such delays as a result of these multiple checkpoints along the corridor was militating against trade facilitation.
“The issue of reporting complaints, once, twice or even the third time without getting response is not good as this will make the person to lose focus. Two months ago, we took a trip from Mile 2 to Badagry and experienced 67 checkpoints, this delay goods and thus making the goods costly for the business community,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary, NSC, Hon. Emmanuel Jime said this at the sensitisation workshop was to create awareness to professional organisations and stakeholders in cross-border trade on their roles in eliminating Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) via ECOWAS TOAM.
Jime noted that in this pursuit, TOAM emerged as a potent tool, adding that it was officially launched during the second meeting of the ECOWAS Regional Trade Facilitation Committee (RTFC) in November 2022.
He pointed out that TOAM was engineered to mitigate non- tariff barriers across the ECOWAS region, and operate via an online reporting system bolstered by a handpicked interagency network.
“Numerous studies conducted along the borders of West African nations have consistently highlighted the impediments faced by traders, particularly in border crossings and customs clearance processes. These barriers, comprising lengthy clearance times, transit checkpoints with unwarranted delays, harassments, exorbitant illegal fees, and demands for bribes, have far-reaching consequences.”
They not only disrupt the seamless flow of goods but also pose a direct threat to our regional integration endeavours. We are at a juncture where acknowledging the challenges is no longer sufficient. We have a solemn duty to identify practical solutions that will significantly reduce the prevalence of these obstacles,” the NSC boss said.
Jime, however, stressed that through this platform, businesses could promptly submit or report obstacles to public sector agencies, receive responses, and remain informed about queries submitted by fellow operators concerning specific products or countries.
“TOAM’s initial results are encouraging, as over 400 obstacles have been reported through this mechanism across West Africa with more than 49 percent of them effectively addressed,” he stated.
Jime also pointed out that the NSC was committed to promoting trade and facilitating seamless cross-border transactions and as such, initiated ideas to sustain it such as establishing Border Information Centre, Complaint Units
