The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Pius, has stated that the effective utilisation of Border Information Centres (BICs) will significantly enhance trade volumes across Nigeria’s land borders.
Dr. Akutah made this known virtually during a film screening and dialogue session themed “Trade Now: Empowering Cross-Border Traders through Border Information Centres,” held in Badagry, Lagos.
He commended the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and other partners for their collaborative efforts in advancing trade facilitation initiatives across the West African region.
Reaffirming the Council’s commitment as Nigeria’s Port Economic Regulator, the Director of Consumer Affairs at NSC, Mrs. Ify Okolue, said the agency remains dedicated to promoting seamless and cost-effective trade across the nation’s borders.
She described Border Information Centres as catalysts for economic growth, explaining that they provide structured platforms that promote transparency, offer guidance, and support dispute resolution for cross-border traders. According to her, BICs deliver timely, on-the-spot information critical for traders navigating border procedures.
Also speaking, the Director of Trade at the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Kolawole Sofola, represented by Mrs. Sarah Akpofure, stressed the need for sustained sensitisation campaigns to deepen traders’ understanding of documentation requirements, best practices, and dispute resolution mechanisms. She further highlighted the importance of prioritising e-commerce, gender-inclusive trade, and sustainable practices in future awareness programmes.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Customs Service reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating legitimate trade through coordinated border management.
In a keynote address delivered on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Customs Area Controller of Seme-Krake Border, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, noted that the Service continues to work in synergy with the NSC and other security agencies to promote lawful business activities and improve access for traders at border corridors.
He emphasised that sustained collaboration among border agencies remains critical to unlocking trade potential and strengthening economic integration across the West African sub-region.
