A group of Northern Traders have the decried the closure of the Niger border to Nigeria due to sanctions arising from the Military’s junta that occurred in Niger Republic.
Following the decision of Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to close all Nigerian Borders to Niger Republic, a northern group, the Arewa Economic Forum has said that the closure of the border has brought commercial hardship to business owners and traders in that part of the country.
howeever, as at the time of this report, it was unconfirmed if Nigeria Immigration Service has complied with this directive which should affect borders Jibiya in Katsina state, Illelah in Sokoto and Maigatari in Jigawa.
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Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, the chairman, Arewa Economic Forum Ibrahim Yahaya Dandakata, has stressed that the entrepreneurial difficulties arising from the closure of the borders is on the rise for traders within that region of the country. He also urged federal government to open the maje-illo border in Kbbi State to help traders receive their stock into Nigeria.
According to him;
“Since the order by the President to close all the borders with Niger Republic following the announcement of the coup, the consequences have been huge. Northern traders loss N13bn weekly,” he said.
“Trade between Niger and Nigeria is usually informal especially in perishable goods and only last year alone, it is estimated at about N177bn in goods and services like livestock and food items
“Therefore, further closure of the border will be detrimental to the huge trade going on between these two countries.
“We hereby appeal to President Tinubu to open the maje-illo border in Kebbi state to enable traders bring in their goods into the country and empower customs to collect import duty thereafter.”
Also speaking, a trader and member of the forum, Hamza Saleh Jibiya, said since the closure of the border, about 2,000 containers laden with perishable and non-perishable goods have been trapped and cannot be cleared due to the closure
“The average value of a container is between $20,000 to $70,000 which in our estimation will be about N140bn trapped in those containers.
“The alternative which we appeal now is for the federal government to open the maje-illo border in Kebbi to enable us remain in business,”
The President had ordered the closure of the Niger Border to Nigeria on the 4th of August, 2023, this also part of the sanctions leveled on the country by Nigeria, alongside cutting of power supply.
However, the Military leaders of Niger have agreed to a diplomatic conversation with leaders from the Economic Community of West African States.
