The reopening of the Seme border to automobile imports has been authorized by the federal government.
Following complaints from local freight forwarders, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting between Nigerian and Beninese officials led to the decision to reopen the border, according to Ibrahim Musa, director of road transport in the ministry of transportation, who made the announcement on Wednesday, June 21.
Musa said;
“I was here with the former Minister of State for Transportation when the Freight Forwarders pleaded that the border should be reactivated for the free movement of goods and services.
“The former minister made us prepare a memo to that effect. It was considered and sent to the government.”
The Customs Area Controller of Seme Border Command, Dera Nnadi also said the service has noticed a reduction in its revenue since the importation of vehicles was banned from the land borders.
Nnadi said;
“The former Minister of Transportation, responding to some of our requests and from the stakeholders, promised to take them to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, one of them is how to fully open this border.
“The Ministry has informed us that the memo has been written to FEC and it was adopted and that it would be given to the new government, he assured us that all the requests were adopted.”
