The joint statement of the Customs Administrations of Benin and Nigeria mentioned that the visit of the Director General of Customs of Benin aims to continue the work begun in Cotonou in order to “strengthen the joint commitment to the facilitation of trade, the promotion of economic development and the promotion of closer ties between the two countries.” According to the document, this is a visit that reaffirms “the commitment of the two countries to strengthen their bilateral cooperation, improve trade facilitation and promote economic growth while promoting goodwill among border populations.” During the discussions, the two customs administrations agreed to develop a “framework for the clearance of goods destined for the Nigeria to the port of Cotonou and vice versa.”

They plan to harmonize the lists of “products prohibited by both countries” and to better observe the “guidelines on international transit to regulate goods and transit fees from Benin to Nigeria”. They want to “promote good relations with border populations, professionalism and tax compliance”, and accelerate “the integration of Nigeria into the Interconnected Cargo Management System in Transit (SIGMAT). The two administrations will relaunch the “advisory frameworks of border customs units with the active participation of the private sector” and will reactivate the joint commission for monitoring trade and transit relations