Customs reopens Seme Border after 7 year closure, targets ₦9trn revenue in 2026
By Uzor Odigbo
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has confirmed the reopening of the Seme border after seven years of closure due to alleged smuggling activities involving the Benin Republic.
Speaking with Shipping Position, a maritime industry publication, over the weekend, Adeniyi described the reopening as a strategic move to position Nigeria as a regional transit corridor.
He said the decision followed high-level engagements between Nigerian and Beninese authorities, as well as consultations involving Niger, which culminated in approval for transit cargo movements along the Kébé route.
Adeniyi explained that Nigeria is fulfilling its obligations to support landlocked neighbouring countries by permitting transit goods destined for Chad and Cameroon to pass through its territory.
However, the CGC assured that tighter technological controls would be deployed to prevent diversion of transit consignments into the domestic market.
He added that transit operations from major seaports, including Apapa Port and Tin Can Island Port, would continue under enhanced monitoring systems to boost revenue generation and strengthen national security.
Adeniyi outlined the NCS’s 2026 strategy, which prioritises sustained trade facilitation, deeper deployment of technology for risk management and cargo tracking, and stronger partnerships with the trading community.
The Customs boss expressed confidence that these measures would support the projected ₦9 trillion revenue target for 2026 and reinforce Nigeria’s position as a regional trade hub in West and Central Africa.
He revealed that the Service is intensifying trade facilitation reforms and expanding technology use to curb cargo diversion and revenue leakages.
Adeniyi noted that the final revenue target would be unveiled after consultations with the appropriation committees of the National Assembly.
He also disclosed that more than ₦100 billion had been recovered from traders who voluntarily regularised underpaid duties after reviewing their records, calling the development unprecedented.
According to him, the improved compliance stems from enhanced transparency, process automation, and sustained engagement with operators across the trading ecosystem.
Meanwhile, the CGC said the Service exceeded its 2025 revenue target by about 11 per cent, attributing the performance to reforms that have made trade processes easier and more predictable.
He noted that these improvements have boosted cargo throughput and encouraged voluntary compliance among importers, exporters, licensed customs agents, clearing agents, and freight forwarders at ports and border stations nationwide.
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