Carnet for North West Africa

[KenKeller]

Hi guys,
Chris Scott (Hi Chris!) mentioned in Sahara Overland (p. 28) that carnets are no longer required in Saharan Africa. If this is indeed the case, it would be a load off my mind and, more importantly, off my bank balance.
The countries I am hoping to visit are:
Nigeria
Benin
Togo
Ghana
Cote d'Ivoire
Mali
Senegal
Mauritania
Western Sahara
Morocco

I have contacted AA Ireland and Britain, but they did not give a definitive answer.ADAC in Germany say that Benin through Mauritania (in the above list) officially require carnets, but that in practice you "could" enter without one. I'd rather find out for definite, instead of having long discussions with customs officials half way across Africa :-)

Can anyone definitively say which of these countries demand a carnet (and what the source of their information is)?
Thanks for the advice.
Ken.

[Chris Scott]

Many of the countries are not Saharan countries as covered in the book (and Western Sahara = Morocco) plus some like Libya do require carnets, but they sell their own.
Most of CFA (Francophone) West Africa does the laisser passer thing - another local carnet you get at borders cheaply. No carnet for Mori.

Chris S

[Kevin]

Up until a short time ago you DEFINITLEY needed a carnet for Ghana and Nigeria, Its been like this for years. All other Weast African countries did not require one. Nigeria is relaxing restrictions on the importation of vehicles. Whether this means they will get rid of the Carnet, I do not know.

[largo]

We crossed West-Afrika without a carnet. We took at the border a laisser passer. We passed the next countries Marrocco, Mauritanie, Mali, Burkina-faso, Benin, Togo and Ghana.