AfCFTA Secures $3.1bn Deal with Bergmans to Overhaul Continental Customs

The African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat announced on Thursday that it has signed a twenty-year, $3.1bn concession agreement with Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited to modernise customs administration across Africa. Executed in Abuja by AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene and Bergmans Chairman Saleh Ahmadu, the agreement drives the implementation of the AfCFTA Customs Modernisation Project. This major initiative is designed to deploy advanced digital technologies and physical customs infrastructure to support the continent's free trade ambitions, improve operational efficiency, protect government revenues, and facilitate the seamless movement of goods without placing additional financial burdens on member states.

The formalisation of the agreement follows a recent Memorandum of Understanding signed by both organisations to transform customs administration across the continent. Speaking at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, Mene described the concession as a significant milestone in building an integrated and digitally enabled trading system. He disclosed that about 50 African countries have already keyed into the initiative, which supports the overarching objective of creating a single continental market of approximately 1.3 billion people with a combined Gross Domestic Product estimated at $3.4 trillion. The project draws direct inspiration from successful customs modernisation efforts implemented in Nigeria, where Bergmans deployed digital solutions for the Nigeria Customs Service to improve cargo clearance processes, reduce processing times, enhance transparency, and boost government revenue.

Elaborating on the operational scope, Ahmadu stated that Bergmans will invest the full $3.1bn required under the concession to deploy continent-wide digital and physical infrastructure. This deployment encompasses advanced Non-Intrusive Inspection technology, integrated data centres, and multilingual customs portals capable of supporting Africa's official languages. The African Continental Free Trade Area, which commenced trading in January 2021, represents the world's largest free trade area by the number of participating countries. Despite initial growth in intra-African trade, fragmented customs systems, inefficient border procedures, and lengthy cargo clearance processes have historically limited the full realization of the agreement.

Why This Matters

Inefficient border procedures and fragmented national information systems have long constrained regional trade velocity across the continent. By introducing harmonised digital infrastructure, the initiative provides the technological backbone required to implement AfCFTA protocols on customs harmonisation and trade facilitation. Standardising risk management and information sharing across participating jurisdictions directly addresses the non-tariff barriers that slow down commercial transport corridors. This digital integration strengthens the operational foundations of the broader free trade area.

Furthermore, enhanced trade corridors and predictable cargo clearance processes reduce operational friction for enterprises moving goods across multiple national boundaries. Protecting and improving government revenue collection through transparent digital tracking safeguards national exchequers while lowering the overall cost of doing business across borders. This alignment between technology deployment and trade policy deepens regional economic integration, reinforcing the structural viability of a single continental market.

Opportunities

• Technology Integrators: Opportunities to supply and integrate advanced Non-Intrusive Inspection technology and digital customs portals across participating African nations.
• Infrastructure Contractors: Commercial prospects in building and upgrading physical customs facilities and integrated data centres along major trade corridors.
• Financial Institutions: Roles in structuring and deploying long-term capital to support the $3.1bn continental investment framework.
• Logistics Operators: Direct benefits from streamlined cross-border clearance procedures, reduced border delays, and lower transaction costs.

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