The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) between Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Liberia. The official deployment took place on October 31, 2025, in Monrovia, Liberia.
SIGMAT is part of ECOWAS’s broader efforts to reform transit systems and improve cross-border trade within West Africa. First introduced in Abidjan in 2019, the system enables electronic exchange of transit messages between countries by connecting their national customs systems. This aims to secure customs revenue, reduce cargo diversion, and increase confidence among trading partners.
At the launch event, Mr. Saa Saamoi, Commissioner of Customs at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), described SIGMAT as a major step forward for both Liberia and ECOWAS as a whole. He stated that adopting this digital platform would help modernize and harmonize regional transit processes while increasing transparency and reducing clearance times at borders.
“As we launch SIGMAT today, let us reaffirm our dedication to sustaining the platform, ensuring that it delivers on its promise of efficiency, transparency, and reliability. Together, we can build a future where goods move freely, securely, and swiftly across our borders—fostering growth and prosperity for our people,” he said.
Colonel Major Brice Bouagba from Côte d’Ivoire’s Customs administration praised ECOWAS for introducing SIGMAT. He highlighted its potential to reduce transit times and streamline information flow between countries’ customs offices. He also emphasized how such initiatives strengthen cooperation within the region.
Mr. Mohammed Lamine Traoré represented Guinea’s Customs administration at the event. He noted that SIGMAT will make transit procedures easier across West Africa by simplifying information exchanges and lowering transaction costs at border points—a change expected to boost trade efficiency and economic growth throughout the region.
Hon. Wilmot A. Reeves from Liberia’s Ministry of Trade explained that this new system supports Liberia’s plans for economic transformation by creating digital connections with other Member States to facilitate trade.
In her opening remarks delivered on behalf of Dr. Kalilou Sylla from ECOWAS’ Commission for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, H.E. Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah stressed that linking Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Liberia through SIGMAT represents an important achievement toward modernizing regional commerce.
“The deployment of SIGMAT between Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Liberia today is a testament to the fact that ECOWAS is concerned about all trade corridors in the region and will continue to support all Member States in their efforts to achieve full connectivity and enhance the fluidity of cross-border trade along transit corridors in the Community,” she said.
SIGMAT was developed locally with support from organizations such as the European Union; German Development Cooperation; World Bank; World Customs Organization; and UNCTAD. The project reflects ECOWAS’s commitment to strengthening integration among its members through improved digital interconnection of customs systems across West Africa.