By Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin

Dem dey pass border for night or disguise for day—trucks wey carry sugar, oil, rice, medicine and other goods, dem dey dodge customs check and tax. No be just secret business e be; e dey cost African economies billions of dollars, dey scatter local business, and e dey weaken di country sef. Smuggling of goods, especially for West Africa, na big wahala wey dey threaten di continent economy and security.

For Ghana, di African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP) dey lead campaign against smuggling, and di problem dey clear well well. People wey dey import goods legally dey struggle to survive. Some investors wey bring money and jobs into di country don dey comot because dem talk say di competition no fair and di government no fit handle di illegal trade matter. Ghana Revenue Authority talk say di country dey lose over GHS 10 billion every year because of smuggling—money wey fit build road, hospital, or even school.

But no be only Ghana get dis problem. Across Africa, smuggling gangs dey use weak government systems, corrupt officials, and open borders to create black market. Dem dey sell fake or dangerous goods to people wey no sabi. One market woman for Agbobloshie, Ghana, talk say oil wey dem suppose use for factory dey enter market and people dey chop am without knowing. Dis kind smuggling dey make local producers and importers close shop because dem no fit compete, and e dey spoil di economy.

African Development Bank report talk say African countries dey lose between $30 billion to $50 billion every year because of smuggling. Jobs dey disappear, tax money dey vanish, and people no dey trust di system again. Di long-term effect na wahala: less investment, more people go dey jobless, and di gap between wetin di government plan and wetin dem achieve go dey wide.

For March 2025, Kenya Border Management Secretariat and Ministry of Agriculture talk say 2,000 metric tons of sugar dey enter di country through lorries and small cars. Dem warn say di sugar wey people dey chop no meet Kenya Bureau of Standards check, and government chemist test show say di sugar get mercury and copper. Since 2018, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi don dey talk say millions of Kenyans fit don chop poisonous sugar wey dem package as local brand.

Di smuggling no be work of poor traders; na big criminal cartels dey run am. Dem get plenty money and connection for high places. Dem dey use di money wey dem make to fund other bad business like arms and human trafficking. Di smuggling matter no be only economic wahala, e don turn national security threat.

Di main goods wey dem dey smuggle for Africa—fuel, sugar, cooking oil, medicine, and rice—dey controlled by organised networks wey dey use weak border control and political connection. ENACT Africa talk say oil wey dem smuggle from Nigeria dey pass through Cameroon to rebel forces for Central African Republic, and Nigeria dey lose about $1.5 billion every month because of oil smuggling. Reuters report for 2015 talk say Al-Shabaab dey make about $1.9 million every year from sugar smuggling through Kenya Dadaab refugee camp.

Di effect dey big. Apart from di health risk and di money wey dey fund terrorism, when government no fit collect tax because of smuggling, dem go borrow money from outside, wey go increase di country debt. IMF talk say external debt for sub-Saharan Africa reach $702 billion for 2021, and smuggling contribute to di lost revenue.

Smuggling dey spoil trade and development plans. Local industries wey already dey struggle with high cost and bad infrastructure dey suffer more because of di unfair competition. For Ghana, palm oil companies don sack workers or close down because of cheap and fake oil wey dem smuggle. Nigeria Rice Development Association (NRDA) talk say Nigeria rice milling sector dey lose over $300 million every year because of smuggling, and e dey affect di government plan to make di country dey self-sufficient for agriculture.

When businesses close or reduce work because of smuggling, young people wey dey find work go suffer pass. World Bank talk say youth unemployment for Africa don near 60%, and dis one show say di continent need quick economic reform and end to illegal trade. If dem no act fast, di problem go make people lose hope and communities go dey suffer.

Di African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP) dey raise awareness and dey work with civil society, market associations, and government to fight smuggling. Dem dey use public interviews and investigative journalism to expose di matter. But dem no fit do am alone. Government need to strengthen border control, enforce customs law, and punish officials wey dey involved. Regional bodies and di African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) need to invest in joint security and anti-smuggling task force. People for community need to sabi how to report illegal goods.

Africa future dey depend on open and fair market. Every bag of smuggled sugar, every illegal oil, every untaxed rice na lost opportunity for African workers and di continent development. Di time to act na now. Smuggling no dey hide; e dey everywhere dey steal from us. If we no face am with courage and unity, we go continue to lose money and lives.

Di writer, Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, na di Executive Director of African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP).

Disclaimer: Di views wey di writer express no mean say na di same view TRT Afrika get.