By Esther Onyegbula

Freight forwarding stakeholders at the Seme Border have appealed to the Federal Government to lift the ban on the importation of vehicles through land borders, saying the policy has negatively affected businesses, jobs and government revenue over the past decade.

The stakeholders, led by Don Tino Celestine Esezobor, made the appeal while addressing journalists at the border community, where they described the continued restriction as detrimental to economic activities in the area.

According to the group, the ban introduced on December 31, 2016, led to widespread business closures and financial hardship among freight forwarders, customs agents and other operators dependent on vehicle importation activities at the border.

They claimed that several operators lost their livelihoods following the policy, while many offices were shut due to declining business activities.
Esezobor said the policy had also contributed to revenue losses for the government, arguing that vehicle importation through the Seme corridor previously accounted for a major percentage of customs revenue generated at the border.

“The continued closure of the vehicle import corridor has affected thousands of people whose livelihoods depended on the business. It has also reduced government revenue and encouraged illegal activities,” he said.

The stakeholders urged government to utilise the bonded terminal located at the Seme Border, known as the “Only God Is Wise Bonded Terminal,” to strengthen customs supervision and facilitate proper duty collection on imported vehicles.

According to them, the facility has the capacity to accommodate about 130 vehicles at a time and would provide a transparent system for monitoring imports.

They explained that vehicles arriving through the Port of Cotonou in the Republic of Benin are usually accompanied by customs documentation in line with the ECOWAS transit arrangement before being handed over to Nigerian authorities.

“The emergence of the bonded terminal should be seen as an opportunity for effective monitoring and proper collection of customs duties,” the stakeholders stated.

The group further argued that reopening the border for vehicle imports would help restore economic activities in the area and create employment opportunities for freight forwarders, drivers, clerical workers and other support service providers affected by the ban.
They also maintained that smuggling activities had not been completely stopped despite the restriction, noting that vehicles still enter the country through illegal routes.

According to the stakeholders, allowing regulated vehicle importation through the border would encourage compliance among importers willing to pay customs duties while reducing dependence on unauthorised channels.
They added that customs officers often face security risks while attempting to intercept smuggled vehicles entering through illegal routes.

The stakeholders expressed confidence that reopening the vehicle import corridor through Seme Border would improve revenue generation, ease operational pressure on seaports and revive economic activities within the border community.

The statement was signed by Don Tino Celestine Esezobor on behalf of freight forwarding stakeholders at the Seme Border.