President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has endorsed the $3.1 billion customs modernisation project of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), describing the initiative as transformative and capable of accelerating economic growth and trade across Africa.
Tinubu gave the endorsement during a courtesy visit by Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu, a trade, revenue and security strategist whose company, Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited, entered into a 20-year concession agreement with the AfCFTA Secretariat to execute the project.
The concession, being implemented in partnership with AfriTrade CMP Limited, covers all 55 member states of the continental trade bloc and is aimed at modernising customs operations and improving trade facilitation across Africa.
According to a statement issued by the company, Tinubu commended Ahmadu for developing and leading the concession, stressing the importance of efficient customs systems to the success of AfCFTA and Africa’s broader economic integration agenda.
The President, who has introduced a series of economic reforms in Nigeria, described the project as a major initiative with the potential to boost economic activity and facilitate trade among African countries.
The AfCFTA is one of the flagship initiatives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the continent’s long-term development framework. It seeks to increase intra-African trade, strengthen Africa’s position in global markets and establish a common framework for trade negotiations among member states.
The agreement establishing the continental free trade area followed a decision adopted by African leaders at the 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2012.
The customs modernisation concession between Bergmans and the AfCFTA Secretariat is expected to build on the company’s experience in Nigeria, particularly its involvement in the Nigeria Customs Service Modernisation Project.
Tinubu also commended Ahmadu and Bergmans for what he described as their contributions to Nigeria’s trade and revenue ecosystem.
He said their work had supported activities across the trade value chain while contributing to trade facilitation, border security and revenue protection.
Ahmadu has about four decades of experience in security consultancy and systems acquisition, with professional involvement spanning aviation, national security, cybersecurity and intelligence.
Beyond security consultancy, he has established businesses across various sectors, contributing to employment generation and economic activity in Nigeria.
The $3.1 billion concession, which covers the 55 AfCFTA member states, is expected to place customs modernisation at the centre of efforts to improve the movement of goods, strengthen intra-African trade and support the continent’s economic integration objectives.
