The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission is presently pushing seriously for the actualisation of the region’s free movement as it begins the tour of major border points within the sub region.
The tour commenced with the visit of the President of the Commission, Dr. Omar Touray and a strong team from the regional bloc to one of the busiest borders in the area, Seme Border (Nigeria/Benin Border)
on Wednesday.
During the visit, Touray who took time out to speak to various stakeholders as he made the trip to the border from the Lagos before having a meeting with officials at the border, criticised the poor state of border infrastructure, urging swift reforms to protect the region’s free movement objectives.
After the meeting with Nigerian and Beninese officials at the border, Touray said “this is one of the busiest and most strategic border posts in West Africa,” and we cannot watch to see it not performing optimally.
He lamented that at the border, “we are faced with expensive facilities; scanners, lighting systems, and bridges that are simply not working. That is unacceptable.”
He said he was alarmed to find that core ECOWAS infrastructure was neglected despite heavy investment.
He cried that: “We cannot justify millions spent on equipment that lies idle. Our citizens expect results—not excuses.”
He also stressed that while the regional body is responsible for initiating infrastructure, the onus of maintenance lies with individual member states.
The commission’s president also criticised the proliferation of checkpoints within member countries, arguing that it contradicts the spirit of free movement enshrined in ECOWAS protocols.
He asked that: “Why do we have multiple customs and immigration posts for the same corridor?
“It frustrates travelers, delays trade, and creates opportunities for corruption.”
While calling for transparency, he urged officials to crack down on unofficial payments.
He however correct the notion that within ECOWAS states citizens of the Community should be unquestioned, stating that free movement does not mean movement without relevant documents especially identification card and passport.
Despite the setbacks, Touray said he was encouraged by the joint commitment from Nigeria and Benin to improve cooperation.
He said: “This border post has potential. But potential alone is not enough. We must act—and act fast.”
He pledged that ECOWAS would deliver a full report with recommendations to improve operations, address infrastructure failures, and remove obstacles to seamless cross-border movement.
The Nigerian Customs Controller of the Lagos-Seme Border, Ben Oramalugo, provided a stark assessment of the situation. “We have scanners installed, but they are not working.
“Since I reported here on February 12, they have remained non-functional. These scanners can detect things human eyes cannot.
“When you inspect cargo manually, you might miss drugs or dangerous goods hidden deep inside. We need your help to get these scanners working again,” Oramalugo explained.
He added, “We do not have electricity at all in Seme. We depend entirely on Benin. And when their power goes out, we’re left in total darkness. This is Nigeria’s number one border, connecting the entire Francophone region, yet we are not connected to the national grid.”
The customs controller also raised concern about economic policy and the impact of double taxation.
“Goods coming from Benin that should be in transit are taxed there and then taxed again in Nigeria. This discourages trade. Importers are avoiding this corridor. We need both countries to follow internationally recognized transit rules,” the customer officer stated.
Oramalugo also called on ECOWAS to reduce the number of checkpoints on the international corridor.
“From here to Badagry, I have ensured there are only three customs checkpoints. But there are still too many from other agencies. I appeal to you—let us enforce a maximum of three checkpoints total. This road tells the story of Nigeria. What people see here reflects on all of us,” the customs officer stated.
The Permanent Representative of Nigeria to ECOWAS Ambassador Musa Nuhu, described the Seme border as critical to the ECOWAS free movement agenda. “This is the busiest border in West Africa, in terms of passage of goods, people, and services,” he stated. “And if free movement is working in West Africa, it is in this border that we will be able to find out.”
Nuhu noted that the challenges raised by local officials—including infrastructure decay, overlapping security checks, and operational bottlenecks—highlighted the gap between policy and implementation. “It’s good that they mentioned these issues for you to really understand practically what is happening along this very important border.”
Nuhu also revealed that the Federal Government had taken steps to independently assess and reform the corridor. “Not quite long ago, we carried out the same exercise along the border without even the officials here knowing, for us to really take note of what is going on.
“President Bola Tinubu has just approved the setting up of the Presidential Task Force to dismantle multiple checkpoints in the whole country. We are starting with the Seme-Badagry corridor. That committee has been set up under the authority of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and we will soon start working to address this issue,” he added.
Immigration officers stationed along the Seme border have called for intensified public awareness campaigns on the rights and limitations of the ECOWAS free movement protocol, citing widespread misunderstanding among travelers and transporters.
