The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Republic of Benin Customs have launched a technology-driven system aimed at making cross-border trade between both countries faster, more transparent and easier for traders.

The initiative, known as the Customs Declaration Exchange System (CDES), is designed to connect the operations of the two customs administrations while improving coordinated enforcement and harmonising border procedures.

New Digital System Targets Border Delays

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, announced the initiative during the Joint Nigeria-Benin Customs meeting on the assessment of the One Stop Border Post at the Seme-Krake border in Lagos State.

The meeting was themed “Leveraging the Nigeria Customs Service Trade Modernisation Project to Advance Seamless Cross-Border Trade and Shared Responsibility.”

Adeniyi said the system is expected to improve interconnectivity between the two customs administrations and establish a framework for more accountable joint governance.

Focus on Women Traders

The Customs chief said the digital system would particularly benefit women who participate in informal cross-border trade.

According to Adeniyi, women account for more than 70 per cent of informal cross-border traders along the corridor. He said many women traders face challenges including harassment, extortion and delays while moving goods across the border.

The CDES is therefore expected to simplify procedures for small consignments and make information about customs requirements available in languages traders can understand.

A dedicated complaint channel is also expected to provide women traders with a way to report cases of poor treatment at the border.

System Could Reduce Repeated Customs Checks

Adeniyi said one of the major measures of the system’s success would be whether traders and transporters could avoid unnecessary duplication of customs procedures.

He gave the example of a truck carrying goods from Cotonou to Lagos, saying the objective was for it to clear the border once rather than undergo repeated processes on both sides.

He also said the system should eventually allow traders to cross the border within an hour rather than spending an entire day dealing with border procedures.

Nigeria, Benin Customs Plan System Interconnectivity

The technical team working on the project has presented processes for deploying the CDES across both countries.

The two administrations are also considering co-locating their customs administrations and systems at the border, which would allow officers on either side to access relevant information and coordinate decisions more effectively.

Adeniyi said connectivity between the systems would be critical to the success of the project.

He added that within about three months, the systems should begin working once the necessary technical connections and administrative cooperation are established.

Benin Customs Expresses Readiness

The Director-General of Customs in Benin Republic, Colonel Raouf Aboudou, expressed confidence in the initiative and pledged his administration’s cooperation.

Aboudou said the system was developed jointly by the two customs administrations and expressed optimism that it would improve trade between Nigeria and Benin.

He stressed that the success of the project would depend on joint commitment rather than policy declarations alone.

Potential Boost for Regional Trade

The initiative could also serve as a model for digital customs cooperation beyond the Nigeria-Benin corridor.

Adeniyi said that once the two countries achieve full interoperability, they would have created a possible template for online border crossings across ECOWAS and the wider African continent.

The move also aligns with broader efforts by West African customs administrations to harmonise procedures, strengthen digital interoperability and improve coordinated risk management.

For traders and transporters operating along the busy Nigeria-Benin corridor, the expected benefits include fewer delays, clearer customs requirements and more predictable border procedures.

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has approached Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for assistance in investigating the alleged mismanagement and diversion of funds released for US-backed health programmes in the country.

The investigation is expected to focus on organisations that received funding under programmes supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), particularly projects targeting HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis interventions.

FBI Seeks EFCC’s Assistance

The request was reportedly made during a meeting between officials of the FBI and EFCC in Lagos as both countries seek to strengthen cooperation on financial crimes involving international funds.

According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the request was presented by Macus Maccain, Assistant Law Enforcement Attaché of the FBI, during a visit to the office of Bawa Kaltungo, the EFCC Acting Zonal Director in Lagos.

Maccain said the engagement was aimed at strengthening collaboration between the two agencies and supporting investigations into financial irregularities linked to organisations that implemented US-funded programmes in Nigeria.

Probe Focuses on Funds Left After Programme Terminations

The investigation is particularly concerned with funds that remained with implementing organisations after some USAID-supported programmes were discontinued.

According to the FBI official, investigators want to establish how such funds were managed and whether any financial misconduct occurred following the termination of the programmes.

The development follows major changes to US foreign assistance programmes under the Donald Trump administration, which resulted in the cancellation, suspension or termination of several USAID activities.

Nigeria was among the countries where USAID had supported major health interventions over the years, including HIV testing, treatment and care, as well as tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

US Audits Raise Further Questions

The investigation comes amid continuing financial scrutiny of organisations that managed USAID resources in Nigeria.

Recent audits listed by the USAID Office of Inspector General included programmes managed by the KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation Nigeria and Georgetown Global Health Nigeria.

These reviews have added to questions surrounding the administration and accounting of donor-funded programmes after money was released to implementing partners.

US Officials Raise Concerns Over Budgets

During the meeting with EFCC officials, Jeremy Kennon, a Special Agent with the Office of Inspector General of the US Department of State, said the United States and Nigeria had previously entered into agreements to fund HIV and tuberculosis interventions.

He explained that several organisations were involved in delivering healthcare services under the programmes, including the establishment of one-stop centres where people living with HIV could access treatment and related services.

Kennon said reviews of some programmes had raised concerns about inflated budgets and other financial irregularities in Kano State and other parts of Nigeria.

He added that the concerns were not limited to Nigeria but stressed that US authorities were interested in tracing how funds were handled by organisations connected to the affected programmes.

EFCC to Trace Movement of Funds

The EFCC has assured the US delegation that it will give the matter the necessary attention.

Kaltungo, who received the delegation on behalf of EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, said the commission would investigate the allegations across the states where the affected organisations operated.

Investigators are expected to trace the movement of the funds and identify their ultimate beneficiaries where necessary. The agencies also expressed interest in developing a longer-term relationship focused on information sharing and access to financial records.

The investigation could therefore involve examining transactions from organisations that received USAID funds to other beneficiaries or accounts where investigators consider such tracing necessary.

No Finding of Diversion Yet

The investigation does not, at this stage, establish that USAID funds were unlawfully diverted.

Rather, US and Nigerian authorities are examining allegations and financial concerns surrounding how funds were administered, particularly after some programmes were terminated.

The outcome of the investigation will determine whether any individuals or organisations should face further action over suspected financial misconduct.

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has travelled to Germany and the United Kingdom for a series of high-level engagements as political activities intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

Obi disclosed his latest movement in a social media post on Thursday, September 10, following his return to Abuja from visits to Benue and Plateau states.

Obi Begins European Engagements

According to the former Anambra State governor, his engagements in Germany and the UK are focused on issues he considers critical to Nigeria’s future.

He listed democracy, electoral integrity, poverty, education, corruption and healthcare among the issues discussed during the engagements.

Obi said the meetings also explored practical measures that could improve the living conditions of Nigerians and protect their dignity.

The NDC candidate said he returned to Abuja on September 8 after his visits to Benue and Plateau before travelling to Europe, beginning with Germany and subsequently moving to the United Kingdom.

Education Takes Centre Stage

Obi said he was encouraged by the willingness of international partners to support Nigeria, particularly in the education sector.

He described education as the most important investment Nigeria can make in its citizens, arguing that sustainable development would remain difficult without building the knowledge, skills and capabilities of the population.

His emphasis on education comes as he continues to make human capital development a central part of his political messaging ahead of the 2027 election.

Obi Restates Economic Vision

The former Anambra governor also used the occasion to reiterate his call for a fundamental change in Nigeria’s economic direction.

He advocated a transition from consumption to production, dependence to productivity and wasteful practices to responsible resource management.

Obi said his broader objective was to build a country where children have access to quality education, democracy reflects the will of voters, healthcare is accessible and public resources are managed responsibly.

2027 Political Activities Gather Momentum

Obi’s European engagements come at a time when political activities surrounding the 2027 presidential election are intensifying.

The former Anambra governor has continued to position himself as a major opposition contender. On September 8, he described Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde as qualified to become president while calling on opposition politicians to put their differences aside and focus on challenges including poverty, hunger and insecurity.

Obi has also recently made electoral integrity a major part of his campaign message, saying his primary concern is whether Nigerians will be able to protect their votes during the 2027 election rather than simply whether he personally wins.

Other Politicians Begin International Engagements

Obi is not the only presidential contender undertaking international engagements ahead of the election.

Politics Nigeria reported that African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore recently travelled to the United States and Canada as part of a North American tour involving engagements with Nigerians in the diaspora, supporters, activists and other stakeholders.

The movements come as the 2027 electoral calendar advances. According to the report, INEC’s official campaign period began on August 19, 2026, while the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027.