Nigeria and the Benin Republic Customs Services have partnered to deploy geospatial technology to strengthen border security, improve surveillance, and facilitate legitimate trade along their shared frontier.
The collaboration was announced during a strategic meeting at the ECOWAS Conference Hall, Seme-Krake Joint Border Post, aimed at enhancing cooperation against trans-border crimes.
Seme Area Command Controller, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila, described the initiative as a significant step toward improving border management and addressing security challenges along the busy trade corridor.
Deputy Comptroller of Customs and Head of Geospatial, Labaran Ahmed, said the project will pilot the Nigeria Customs Service’s border management application using the World Customs Organisation’s satellite platform.
He explained that the technology would help identify vulnerable border points, enabling officers to deploy resources more strategically for targeted anti-smuggling operations.
Ahmed noted that Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo are the first countries implementing the technology under the programme.
He added that the initiative has attracted interest from 19 additional African countries, including Egypt, Senegal, Kenya, and Mali, which now plan to adopt the system to strengthen border security and combat smuggling.
