The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has signed a 20-year, $3.1 billion concession agreement with Nigeria’s Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Ltd. to overhaul customs systems across participating member states.
The public-private partnership will finance and deploy digital and physical border infrastructure aimed at simplifying procedures, cutting clearance times, strengthening revenue collection and improving the predictability of supply chains. The project supports AfCFTA provisions on customs cooperation and trade facilitation.
Key elements include digital customs platforms, secure electronic data exchange, coordinated border management, one-stop border posts, electronic cargo tracking, non-intrusive inspection technology, integrated data centers, multilingual portals, risk management systems and capacity building.
“We have a singular and shared ambition to position customs systems in Africa to be digital, to be at the service of Africa’s economy and to ensure transparency and accountability. This agreement is an important step towards translating that ambition into practical improvements at Africa’s borders,” said Wamkele Mene, secretary-general of the AfCFTA Secretariat.
Bergmans will mobilize the financing and technical expertise for the rollout, drawing on its experience in customs modernization and digital trade infrastructure.
“This agreement represents an important step towards building secure, efficient and scalable trade infrastructure across Africa. We are committed to working with the AfCFTA Secretariat, State Parties and customs administrations to deploy solutions that facilitate trade, strengthen revenue protection and build African capacity,” said Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu, chairman of Bergmans.
The deal follows a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2026 and moves the partnership from initial cooperation into implementation. By promoting interoperability of customs systems and gradual harmonization of border procedures, the project aims to support the creation of a more integrated African market.
Implementation details will be developed in consultation with participating State Parties, national customs administrations and other stakeholders.
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