AfCFTA Secretariat, Bergmans Sign MoU on Customs Modernisation

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has taken a significant step towards modernizing trade across the continent by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Bergmans Security Consultant and Supplies Limited. This agreement paves the way for the implementation of a concession for the AfCFTA Customs Modernisation Project (ACMP).

The signing ceremony, held recently in Lagos on the sidelines of the Digital Trade Forum 2026, was described by AfCFTA Secretary General Wamkele Mene and Bergmans Chairman Saleh Ahmadu as a pivotal moment. They highlighted the initiative's role in the digital transformation of African trade and customs infrastructure, crucial for achieving the African Union's Agenda 2063.

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Recall that Bergmans Security Consultant and Supplies Limited is the parent company of trade modernisation project (TMP) Limited, the concessionaire to the Federal Government of Nigeria for the implementation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) modernisation project. This project, a Presidential initiative which is also private sector-led, has already recorded tremendous success with global recognition.

Under the Public-Private Partnership arrangement, Bergmans will invest in deploying a comprehensive, Pan-African digital and physical infrastructure. This will harmonize customs processes, enhance trade corridors, and streamline the cross-border movement of goods among State Parties. Ahmadu noted Bergmans' prior success with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) modernization project, a presidential initiative that has garnered global recognition.

Mene emphasized that the project's primary objective is to simplify trade for all African businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises. The goal is to ensure that continental customs systems are interoperable and easily understood by economic operators, fostering greater integration and efficiency within the AfCFTA.

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The aims is to simplify trade for all African businesses, but in particular small and medium enterprises. He noted that their objective is to make sure that continental customs systems are interoperable and that they are easily understood by economic operators.