ECOWAS Reviews the Implementation of the New Transit Procedure and SIGMAT in Member States

The Directorate of Customs Union and Taxation of the ECOWAS Commission has organised a meeting on the New ECOWAS Transit Procedure from June 10th to 13th, 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria to review the implementation of the Abidjan roadmap and take stock of the implementation of the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) in member States and examining the draft transit manual of procedures among others.

While welcoming participants on behalf of Mrs. Massandjé Toure-Litse, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mr. Salifou Tiemtore, Director of Customs Union & Taxation of the ECOWAS Commission highlighted that the adoption of the Supplementary Act on ECOWAS Community Transit by the Authority of Heads of State and Government in December 2021 introduced major reforms in the operation of the Community transit regime which are meant to enhance the fluidity of cross-border movement of goods in the region.

“The deployment of SIGMAT in Member States is a testament of the Authority’s readiness to leverage Information Communication Technology to improve transit operations in the Community” he added.

In his opening remarks, Nafi Isiyaku, Comptroller Trade Facilitation, Preferential Trade and AfCFTA of the Nigeria Customs Service and Chairman of the meeting, stressed that transit procedures constitute a crucial component of customs operations and trade facilitation. He encouraged delegates to propose actionable proposals and recommendations to enable Member States leverage on the Economic integration of the Region.

The new text provided the legal framework for the implementation of the regional transit solution SIGMAT in ECOWAS Member States and brought an end to the 1982 Convention on the Interstate Road Transit (ISRT) of goods with its manual procedures.

The Meeting was attended by representatives of Customs from Member States and relevant Directorates from the ECOWAS Commission.