AfCFTA awards $3.1 billion customs modernization project to Nigerian firm

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has signed a 20-year, $3.1 billion agreement with Nigerian firm Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies to modernize customs procedures across approximately 50 African countries.

The project, to be deployed by AfriTradeCMP, a subsidiary of Bergmans, aims to implement digital tools to simplify customs processes, facilitate cargo tracking, and enable better data exchange between administrations. This initiative seeks to address existing trade barriers where inconsistent documentation and varying computer systems across borders cause delays and increased costs for businesses.

The continental project utilizes a model based on Nigeria’s indigenous electronic customs system, developed through a public-private partnership (PPP) framework. The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) noted that the adoption of this Nigerian-built solution serves as a validation of the country’s PPP model, demonstrating how structured private sector involvement can deliver large-scale technological infrastructure without placing the full financial burden on governments.