Stakeholders in the freight forwarding sector at the Seme Border have appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider its ban on the importation of vehicles through the border, arguing that the policy has caused severe economic losses without achieving its intended objective.
Led by freight forwarding practitioner Don Tino Celestine Esezobor, the group described the restriction as counterproductive, insisting that nearly ten years after its implementation, imported vehicles still find their way into Nigeria through illegal routes while legitimate businesses continue to suffer.
The Federal Government banned vehicle imports through all land borders, including Seme, on December 31, 2016, as part of efforts to curb smuggling and channel imports through the nation’s seaports.
However, the stakeholders said the policy has led to widespread job losses and reduced revenue generation at the border. They claimed that hundreds of freight forwarders and other workers who depended on vehicle clearance operations have been negatively affected.
According to the group, more than 150 freight forwarding practitioners have died since the ban took effect, while many others have endured financial hardship resulting from business closures, unpaid rents, theft, asset depreciation and the collapse of their operations.
Esezobor argued that the continued closure of the vehicle import corridor has also deprived the government of substantial revenue, noting that vehicle imports previously accounted for over 51 per cent of total revenue generated at the Seme Border.
The stakeholders proposed that the government utilise the existing bonded terminal at the border, popularly known as the “Only God Is Wise” Bonded Terminal, to facilitate regulated vehicle imports. They said the facility can accommodate more than 500 vehicles at a time and would enable customs authorities to properly monitor imports and collect the required duties.
They further explained that vehicles transported from the Port of Cotonou in the Republic of Benin are already escorted by Beninese Customs officials and handed over to Nigerian authorities with the necessary documentation under existing ECOWAS protocols.
According to the group, reopening the vehicle import corridor would increase government revenue, revive economic activities within the border community and create employment opportunities for freight forwarders, drivers, secretaries, customs processing personnel and other support workers.
The stakeholders also argued that the ban has failed to stop vehicle smuggling, as both new and used vehicles continue to enter the country through illegal routes on a daily basis.
They expressed concern that officers of the Nigeria Customs Service often face significant risks while pursuing smugglers, alleging that some personnel have been knocked down by fleeing vehicles or attacked during enforcement operations.
The group maintained that allowing regulated vehicle imports through Seme Border would reduce the incentive for smuggling while encouraging importers to pay the appropriate duties through legal channels.
They also attributed the continued patronage of illegal routes to congestion, delays and inefficiencies at the nation’s seaports, adding that smuggling is a global challenge that can be managed but not completely eliminated.
The stakeholders therefore urged the Federal Government to review the policy and reopen the Seme Border vehicle import corridor under a properly regulated bonded terminal arrangement.