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Stella Omona
The Economic Community of West African States Commission has commenced a strategic monitoring and inspection mission at the Nigeria–Cameroon Joint Border Post located at Ekok/Mfum as part of efforts to strengthen regional integration, facilitate trade and improve cross-border movement within West and Central Africa.
The mission, scheduled to run from May 18 to May 22, 2026, is being conducted through the ECOWAS Directorate of Transport and is led by Ashoke Maliki on behalf of the Director of Transport, Chris Appiah.
According to ECOWAS, the mission is aimed at assessing the operational efficiency of the Joint Border Post, evaluating the implementation of border procedures and examining the effectiveness of existing infrastructure and inter-agency coordination mechanisms.
Acccording to ECOWAS, he inspection team is also expected to review trade facilitation measures, cargo and passenger clearance timelines, as well as compliance with regional protocols governing the free movement of persons, goods and services across member states.
ECOWAS said the exercise would further identify operational challenges affecting cross-border trade and transport while engaging border management agencies and other stakeholders to gather feedback and develop practical recommendations for improved efficiency, security and seamless connectivity along the corridor.
The Ekok/Mfum Joint Border Post, situated along the Nigeria–Cameroon border, is regarded as a strategic transit and commercial corridor linking West and Central Africa and plays a significant role in regional trade and mobility.
