Customs administrations across West Africa have strengthened their capacity to fight smuggling, illicit trafficking, and revenue leakages through the use of Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT), as Ghana hosts a week-long regional training programme.
The workshop, organised by the World Customs Organization (WCO) in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), brought together officers from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo for intensive training on modern surveillance and border management tools.
Speaking at the event, Brigadier General Glover Ashong Annan, Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, said geospatial intelligence is a transformative tool for West African Customs in combating cross-border crime and enhancing revenue mobilisation.
He said by harnessing satellite imagery, mapping technologies, and real-time data, Customs can monitor cargo movements, detect unapproved landing sites, and track suspicious trade patterns with unprecedented accuracy.
He said that adopting such advanced technologies would help close loopholes exploited by smugglers, ensure proper accounting of legitimate trade, and bolster security enforcement against arms and contraband.
He noted that the training goes beyond technology transfer, serving as a platform for knowledge sharing, best practice exchange, and regional cooperation.
“The skills gained here will not only benefit your respective administrations but also contribute to the broader vision of a safer, more secure, and economically resilient West Africa,” he added.
Ms. Momoko Suzuki, Chief Representative of JICA in Ghana, highlighted the broader context of Africa’s economic transformation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), projected to boost intra-African trade by 81% by 2035.
She said while the continent’s integration presents vast opportunities, it also exposes countries to increased smuggling risks.
“Illicit drugs, small arms, and counterfeit goods threaten public health, undermine domestic economies, and jeopardize regional stability,” Ms. Suzuki warned.
She explained that GEOINT, described as gaining “eyes from the sky,” enables Customs to detect new smuggling routes, suspicious facilities, and unusual movement patterns that are otherwise difficult to monitor.
She announced that the GEOINT training programme, piloted in five West African countries, will soon expand to 10 more nations, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, and Senegal.
“This initiative is a concrete manifestation of Japan’s unwavering commitment to strengthening African regional integration and ensuring the safe and secure realization of its economic benefits,” she said, noting that Japan reaffirmed this support at the TICAD9 Summit in Yokohama last month.
The week-long training is part of the Master Trainer Programme on Geospatial Intelligence, which aims to build a pool of experts who will later train other officers in their home countries.
