Freight forwarding stakeholders operating around the Seme Border have renewed calls for the Federal Government to revisit its decision banning the importation of vehicles through land borders, arguing that the policy has inflicted more economic harm than benefit.
Led by freight forwarding practitioner Don Tino Celestine Esezobor, the group described the restriction as a policy that amounts to “throwing the baby and bath water away,” insisting that nearly a decade after its introduction, it has weakened legitimate trade activity without achieving its core objective of stopping vehicle inflows through Nigeria’s land routes.
The Federal Government had on December 31, 2016, prohibited vehicle imports through land borders—including Seme Border—as part of a broader effort to curb smuggling and channel imports through seaports to improve revenue collection. But stakeholders now argue that the policy has instead redirected trade into informal channels while crippling lawful operations at the border.
According to them, the human and economic cost has been severe. They claim hundreds of freight forwarding agents and allied workers have lost their livelihoods, with widespread business closures, unpaid rents, asset depreciation and rising insecurity within the trade ecosystem. In a stark allegation, they said: “more than 150 freight forwarding practitioners have died since the implementation of the policy,” attributing the deaths to financial distress linked to the ban.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Esezobor maintained that government revenue has also suffered, noting that before the restriction, vehicle imports contributed significantly to border earnings. “Before the ban, vehicle importation accounted for over 51 per cent of total revenue generated at the Seme Border,” he said.
The stakeholders believe a viable alternative already exists in the form of the bonded terminal popularly referred to as the “Only God Is Wise” facility, which they say could support regulated vehicle imports if properly utilised. They argue that the facility has capacity for over 500 vehicles at a time and could enable customs authorities to maintain oversight while collecting appropriate duties.
They also referenced established regional trade procedures under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), explaining that vehicles arriving from the Port of Cotonou in Benin Republic are often escorted by Beninese customs officials and formally handed over to Nigerian authorities with documentation intact.
If the policy were reversed, they insist, it would not only restore economic activity but also create thousands of jobs for freight forwarders, drivers, secretaries, customs processing agents and other service providers whose livelihoods were tied to the corridor.
Beyond economic arguments, the group raised security concerns tied to ongoing smuggling activities. They maintained that despite the ban, vehicles still enter the country through illegal routes on a daily basis. “Have the vehicles stopped entering the country through the land borders since the inception of the ban? The candid answer is capital NO,” they stated.
They further alleged that these illicit flows result in major revenue losses for the government and place officers of the Nigeria Customs Service in constant danger during enforcement operations. According to them, Customs personnel frequently confront armed or reckless smugglers, with some reportedly injured in the line of duty.
The stakeholders argued that a regulated reopening of the corridor would reduce incentives for smuggling, strengthen compliance, and encourage importers to use formal channels rather than risky border routes.
They also pointed to operational inefficiencies at seaports, noting that congestion and delays often push traders toward informal alternatives. In their view, many importers are willing to comply with regulations but are discouraged by bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Ultimately, the group urged the Federal Government to reconsider its stance and reopen the vehicle import corridor at Seme Border under a structured bonded terminal arrangement that ensures accountability while restoring economic activity to the region.