The Director of Road Transport in the Ministry of Transportation, Ibrahim Musa, has announced that the Federal Government has granted approval for the reopening of the Seme border, enabling the importation of vehicles. Musa made this disclosure during an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting held between officials of Nigeria and Benin. The decision came as a response to complaints lodged by freight forwarders operating at the Seme border.
Speaking during the visit of the ECOWAS Monitoring Team to the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post, Musa explained, “I was here with the former Minister of State for Transportation when the freight forwarders pleaded that the border should be reactivated for the free movement of goods and services. The former minister instructed us to prepare a memo on the matter, which was duly considered and sent to the government.”
The Customs Area Controller of Seme Border Command, Dera Nnadi, also addressed the situation, noting that the importation ban on vehicles through land borders had resulted in a decline in revenue for the service. Nnadi stated, “The former Minister of Transportation, in response to our requests and those of the stakeholders, promised to present them to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), including the full reopening of this border. The Ministry has informed us that the memo has been written to FEC, adopted, and will be handed over to the new government. He assured us that all the requests were accepted.”
The reopening of the Seme border for vehicle importation signifies a significant development for traders, freight forwarders, and the overall trade relationship between Nigeria and Benin. The decision aims to facilitate the free movement of goods and services, thereby boosting economic activities in the region.
