ECOWAS, Nigeria Move to Modernize Sèmè-Kraké Border for Smoother West African Trade
High-level talks in Abuja focus on streamlining operations at the key West African checkpoint along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, which handles 70% of regional transit trade
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Nigerian authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional trade and integration through the enhancement of the Sèmè-Kraké juxtaposed checkpoint (CCP), located on the Nigeria-Benin border.
At a high-level meeting held in Abuja on June 16, 2025, representatives from the ECOWAS Commission and the Government of Nigeria reviewed progress on the implementation of the bilateral agreement signed in 2022 in Cotonou, as well as the operational procedures manual that guides the management of the border post.
The Sèmè-Kraké CCP, inaugurated in 2018, is a vital transit hub on the Abidjan-Lagos corridor — one of the busiest trade routes in West Africa, accounting for 70% of the region’s transit trade. It is a flagship component of the ECOWAS Regional Transport Facilitation Programme, aimed at reducing bottlenecks, enhancing customs coordination, and promoting the seamless movement of goods and people across borders.
The meeting builds on momentum from a field visit conducted in May 2025 by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, who emphasized the need to address challenges affecting the full operationalization of the border post.
According to ECOWAS officials, key areas of focus include improving infrastructure, enhancing inter-agency collaboration, digitizing border procedures, and ensuring compliance with the trade facilitation protocols under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS).
Stakeholders also discussed measures to strengthen security, reduce congestion, and build the capacity of border personnel to boost efficiency and transparency at the checkpoint.
The joint efforts by ECOWAS and Nigeria reflect a broader commitment to regional economic integration, in line with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to create a single market for goods and services across the continent.
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The ECOWAS Commission reaffirmed its support for member states to implement coordinated border management strategies and ensure that critical transit points like the Sèmè-Kraké CCP become models of modern, integrated trade infrastructure.
The outcomes of the Abuja meeting are expected to guide the next steps in accelerating reforms and investments at the Sèmè-Kraké post to enhance competitiveness, reduce trade costs, and stimulate intra-regional commerce in West Africa.
