The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has confirmed that Nigeria's Customs Modernisation Project has been adopted as the model for a $3.1 billion African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) customs transformation programme. The endorsement highlights how properly structured Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) can transform public infrastructure and position Nigeria as an exporter of home-grown solutions.
Continental Endorsement for Nigeria's PPP Framework
ICRC Director-General, Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, made the disclosure in Abuja while reacting to the recent signing of the AfCFTA Customs Modernisation Project concession agreement. The 20-year concession, signed between the AfCFTA Secretariat and Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited, the parent company of the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP), is expected to deploy the customs modernisation system across about 50 African countries serving a continental market of roughly 1.3 billion people.
According to Ewalefoh, the development demonstrates how properly structured PPPs can attract private capital and transform public infrastructure. He noted that Nigeria's experience with the B'Odogwu Unified Customs Management System, developed through a PPP between the Nigeria Customs Service and TMP, proved that indigenous technology and private-sector expertise could deliver reforms replicable across Africa.
B'Odogwu Becomes Africa's Blueprint
At the heart of Nigeria's customs transformation is B'Odogwu, the Unified Customs Management System developed through the PPP between the Nigeria Customs Service and TMP. Ewalefoh stated, "Africa is adopting a Nigerian idea, built by Nigerians, proven on Nigerian soil, and now trusted to carry the trade ambitions of an entire continent."
He recalled that the project faced doubts and institutional resistance during its formative years but eventually overcame the challenges through strong government backing, effective regulation, and collaboration between the public and private sectors. Ewalefoh, who previously served as the ICRC desk officer responsible for the project before becoming director-general, said the commission played a critical role in structuring and developing the initiative.
From Local Project to Continental Export
The ICRC chief said the decision to deploy a Nigerian-built solution across Africa represents an important shift in how the country is perceived. He stressed that the technology was developed by Nigerian engineers and local talent rather than imported from a foreign technology provider.
Ewalefoh also praised Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for his role in driving the nationwide deployment of B'Odogwu and advancing the digital transformation of the Nigeria Customs Service. The commission said the project has also contributed to stronger customs revenue, demonstrating that PPPs can improve public finances while reducing the government's need to fund major infrastructure entirely through borrowing.
PPPs and Nigeria's $1 Trillion Economy Ambition
Ewalefoh said the success of the Trade Modernisation Project supports Nigeria's ambition to build a $1 trillion economy under the Renewed Hope Development Plan 2026-2030. He noted that projects such as the Trade Modernisation Project and Lekki Deep Sea Port show how private capital can support infrastructure development while creating jobs, improving efficiency, and strengthening government revenue.
He argued that Nigeria's challenge is increasingly less about access to ideas or funding and more about overcoming resistance to institutional change. The ICRC said Bergman's selection for the AfCFTA project further positions Nigeria as not merely a major African market but as a supplier of infrastructure and technology solutions to the continent.
Ewalefoh said the AfCFTA development also reflects the need for stronger regional cooperation among African PPP institutions, allowing successful projects in one country to become models for broader continental development. The endorsement marks a significant step in Nigeria's role in shaping Africa's trade future through innovative PPP models.
