AfCFTA signs $3.1 billion customs modernization deal with Nigerian firm Bergmans Security

The African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat has signed a landmark 20-year, $3.1 billion concession agreement with Nigerian firm Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited to overhaul and digitise customs administration across Africa. Fully funded by Bergmans and executed through its subsidiary AfriTrade CMP Limited, the project will deploy advanced digital infrastructure, non-intrusive inspection technology, and real-time cargo tracking across 50 participating countries. Inspired by a successful Nigerian model that boosted local customs revenue by 90.4%, the initiative aims to eliminate border bottlenecks, curb corruption, and help double intra-African trade by 2035.

AfCFTA-Bergmans customs modernization agreement

• ▪The African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat signed a 20-year, $3.1 billion concession agreement with Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited on August 6, 2026, in Abuja to modernise customs administration across Africa.
• ▪The concession agreement between the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited will be executed through Bergmans' subsidiary, AfriTrade CMP Limited.

Nigeria customs digitization success model

• ▪According to African Continental Free Trade Area Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, the previous customs modernisation project implemented by Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited in Nigeria helped lift Nigerian customs revenue by 90.4%.
• ▪The African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat selected Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited based on the company's successful implementation of customs modernisation and digitisation reforms with the Nigeria Customs Service.

Intra-African trade facilitation goals

• ▪According to African Continental Free Trade Area Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, intra-African trade reached $220 billion in 2024, representing a 12.5% increase year-on-year.
• ▪The African Continental Free Trade Area Customs Modernisation Project aims to support the trade bloc's target of doubling intra-African trade by 2035 by reducing border bottlenecks and simplifying cross-border movement of goods.

Digital customs infrastructure deployment

• ▪The customs modernisation project will deploy multilingual customs portals capable of supporting Africa's official languages and provide real-time tracking of goods across the continent.
• ▪Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited will fully finance the $3.1 billion project and deploy digital and physical customs infrastructure, including advanced non-intrusive inspection technology and integrated data centres.

Revenue collection improvements

• ▪The customs modernisation initiative is designed to enable participating African customs administrations to strengthen revenue collection and improve efficiency without imposing additional financial obligations on member states.
• ▪African Continental Free Trade Area Secretary-General Wamkele Mene stated that manual customs systems contribute to corruption, revenue leakages, under-invoicing, and over-invoicing across the continent.

Continental implementation scope

• ▪Fifty African countries have already signed on to participate in the customs modernisation initiative, which will roll out across member states that have ratified the trade agreement.
• ▪The customs modernisation project is designed to support the African Continental Free Trade Area's goal of creating a single market of 1.3 billion people with a combined Gross Domestic Product of $3.4 trillion.