The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched the deployment of an automated regional transit solution, known as the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT), in Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Liberia. According to Dr. Kalilou Sylla, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, this initiative aims to bolster trade and improve local revenues in the three countries.
The launch of SIGMAT is a significant step towards overhauling the entire transit arrangement in West Africa, making it more efficient and attractive to the private sector, international investors, and customs administrations in the region. Dr. Sylla emphasized that the management of transit is critical to the economic development of the community, as the West African sub-region’s economic integration depends largely on the efficient movement of goods across borders.
The SIGMAT system allows for the electronic exchange of transit messages and advance cargo information, enabling customs administrations to control the transit regime and minimize cargo diversion. This home-grown solution has been installed in almost all ECOWAS member states, with a few yet to operationalize it. Dr. Sylla encouraged all member states to connect to the SIGMAT e-Hub at the Community Computer Centre in Lome to ensure seamless connectivity and operational stability.
The Directors General of Customs of Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Guinea have been commended for their efforts in deploying SIGMAT and interconnecting the trade corridors linking the three member states. The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Customs Commissioner, Saa Saamoi, noted that SIGMAT is designed to enhance transparency, reduce delays, strengthen border management, and improve trade security.
The implementation of SIGMAT in Liberia demonstrates the country’s commitment to regional integration and digital transformation. The launch event brought together stakeholders from Liberia’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the business community, and other relevant parties. Liberia’s Deputy Minister for Commerce and Trade, Wilmot A. Reeves, pledged the ministry’s commitment to ensuring the success of the process, which aligns with the government’s agenda to go digital.
The deployment of SIGMAT is expected to facilitate trade and improve revenue collection in the region. With the full benefits of SIGMAT to be realized when all member states have installed and deployed the transit solution, ECOWAS is poised to enhance the fluidity of cross-border trade and promote economic development in the region.
