(Ecofin Agency) - • Nigeria and Benin have deployed the SIGMAT system at the Sèmè-Kraké border to improve customs efficiency.
• SIGMAT digitizes goods-in-transit processes, cutting wait times and reducing fraud.
• The system strengthens the Abidjan-Lagos corridor and supports ECOWAS integration goals.

Nigeria and Benin have officially launched the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) at their shared Sèmè-Kraké border post, marking a major step toward harmonizing customs procedures across West Africa. The deployment, which took place on May 19, 2025, is expected to accelerate trade flows and improve security along the region’s busiest economic corridor.

First introduced in 2019 under the framework of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), SIGMAT has been rolled out in nine member countries to digitize and secure the management of goods in transit. The system replaces paper-based customs documentation with real-time electronic forms, allowing full traceability of goods and minimizing fraud risks. By reducing administrative delays at borders, SIGMAT also improves logistical efficiency and cargo monitoring.

The integration of Nigeria, the region’s largest economy, into the SIGMAT network significantly enhances its scope and strategic impact. At the launch ceremony, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, emphasized the role of SIGMAT in combating cross-border fraud and streamlining operations along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor. Adidjatou Hassan Zanouvi, Director General of Benin Customs, noted that the system is already showing results by cutting waiting times, enhancing cargo management, and reinforcing customs cooperation between the two countries.

SIGMAT forms part of ECOWAS’s broader strategy to strengthen regional economic integration by simplifying customs formalities and improving the trade environment. Its implementation at the Nigeria-Benin border extends digital customs coverage along the Abidjan-Lagos axis, a key artery for intra-African trade.

The success of the system could eventually serve as a template for other trade corridors, particularly those connecting landlocked Sahelian countries to coastal ports. As the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) continues to unfold, the widespread deployment of SIGMAT will be vital to ensuring secure, efficient, and competitive trade across the continent.

Looking ahead, ECOWAS intends to expand SIGMAT further while investing in customs personnel training and digital infrastructure upgrades. For businesses, the digitalization of customs processes reduces delays, lowers operational costs, and supports more reliable supply chain planning across one of Africa’s most dynamic trade corridors.