The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says Nigeria and Benin Republic have agreed to have a single entry declaration form for both countries to be used for border crossing.

The Kebbi Area Controller of NCS, Iheanacho Earnest-Ojike, made the disclosure shortly after a meeting between the NCS and representatives of Benin Republic.

The closed-door meeting was held at Anguwar Sule Wara, a border town in Benin Republic, on Sunday.

Briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting, Mr Earnest-Ojike recalled that on May 21, a maiden meeting between foreign ministers of Nigeria and Benin Republic which dwelled on bilateral talks on improving free flow of trade and commerce between the two nations was held.

”The meeting aimed at bringing the border crossing between Tsamiya in Nigeria and Anguwar Sule Wata in Benin Republic back to life through infrastructural development in line with the renewed hope initiative of President Bola Tinubu.

“The meeting was also to strengthen social and economic interaction as well as expand trade and commerce between the citizens of the two countries,” he said.

According to him, the meeting now is in continuation and final agreement to the previous one, “as we have now agreed to have a single entry declaration form that citizens of both countries will use for border crossing.

“Both countries are signatories to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Customs Organisation (WCO), which have the principles of border post,” he said.

Mr Earnest-Ojike added that two countries would establish a joint-border agency inspection for goods and persons, saying, “it is going to be one-stop border post at the Segbana border.”

The controller expressed optimism that the agreement reached would advance the course of regional integration between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

(NAN)