By Camillus Eboh

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria and neighboring countries Benin and Niger have agreed to set up a joint border patrol force to tackle smuggling between the West African countries, they said in a communique on Thursday.

Foreign ministers from the three countries met to discuss smuggling following a decision by regional giant Nigeria, which has Africa's largest economy and biggest population, to close its land borders to trade until at least Jan. 31, 2020.

Nigeria launched a partial border closure in August to tackle smuggling of rice and other goods. And last month the head of customs confirmed that all trade via land borders had been halted indefinitely.

The joint communique from the meeting in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, said the Benin and Niger delegations had appealed for the immediate re-opening of Nigeria's borders.

The concerns were noted and the delegates agreed on the "establishment of a joint border patrol team comprising the police, customs, immigration, navy and state security services of the three countries", the communique said.

The force will hold its first meeting in Abuja on Nov. 25 and 26 and will later advise on the re-opening of the borders.

The delegates also agreed that the ministers of finance and trade from the countries would set up a committee to promote intra-regional trade, and said they would ensure people crossing their borders would display travel documents recognized by the Economic Community of West African States regional bloc.

Since taking office in 2015, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has introduced policies aimed at curbing imports and smuggling, to boost local production.

Despite being Africa's top crude oil producer, Nigeria imports most of its refined fuel due to the moribund state of its refineries.

Some 10-20% of Nigerian fuel is then smuggled to neighboring countries, according to the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, as gasoline is heavily subsidized in the country and prices are higher in neighboring countries.

In July, Nigeria signed up to the African Continental Free Trade Area, a project to create a $3.4 trillion economic bloc, despite its fears that it could be flooded with cheap goods from competitive neighbors.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-trade/nigeria-to-form-border-force-with-neighbors-benin-and-niger-to-fight-smuggling-idUSKBN1XO2JD

Lol wasn't this falana's advice? It's what Nigeria does deal with terrorists. Nigeria's other demands still have to be addressed. The packaging requirements countries wont be a hard sell. Demanding them to dismantle wearhouses along the Nigerian border will be. Im guess the Federal government wants them 20km away from the border.

Falana advised the Federal Government to “urgently dialogue with Nigeria’s neighbouring countries to jointly fight the menace of smuggling, which necessitated the border closure by Nigeria.”

Source

Good one

 they would ensure people crossing their borders would display travel documents recognized by the Economic Community of West African States regional bloc.

Lol weren't you guys doing this the past 20 years. Government workers are paid to look busy.

Nigeria government has lost its vision

No nation is an island. No matter which way you look at it, international trade is very important. Tight security should be established at the borders. Nice one.

Better that way..... anything that will counter smuggling is good.

Nice One , May PMB Succeed

Henriksen:
Nigeria government has lost its vision

how?

Funny...make we dey watch una..

We have crud oil, we export crud oil, but we import fuel into Nigeria.
Petrol must be ban, its turn out to be, foreign product's.....

Blue3k:


Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-trade/nigeria-to-form-border-force-with-neighbors-benin-and-niger-to-fight-smuggling-idUSKBN1XO2JD

FG. hate speech

Whatever.

I am sure it's only the wailers that are feeling the heat of the border closure. Zombies are exempted. "Zai baba"!

Left to me, I think the border should remain closed, it will aid local industry, but unfortunately, northern borders are still porous albeit discreetly.

Absolute waste of time. There's nothing new agreed upon that wasn't in place before.

Business will return as usual once border opened.

If you want to stop rice smuggling into Nigeria, the answer is to grow the foreign rice in Nigeria. Anything else is a waste of time.

bigboyk:
No nation is an island. No matter which way you look at it, international trade is very important. Tight security should be established at the borders. Nice one.

The Nigerian government knows closing the borders is a dumb long term play. Custom investing in more technology and e border are steps in the right direction. The next issue to address are tariffs and oil subsidies.

According to him, “The partners are mobilising about $ 450 million in investment to attain the complete turn-around programme. A complete automation of the activities of the NCS within 12 months will boost revenue and eliminate all forms of sharp practices in the system.”

bigboyk:
No nation is an island. No matter which way you look at it, international trade is very important. Tight security should be established at the borders. Nice one.

Exactly. Yet ECO CURRENCY must be protected at its core which is Nigeria. If things go bad economically in Nigeria during ECO CURRENCY infancy it could send ripples throughout all of ECOWAS. Better prepare now while borders are closed for all the traffick that will be rushing into Nigeria. The US, Russia, China all the world powers have tight border security in the new world of terror.


Wake up out your slumber

Lol

I hope the project doesn't take another decade to be completed shaa.


Achoro kwam nkwa Shagari kwere Amucha
If you know you know

Just like Trump




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When Ghanaian President thought he was invited to the meeting meant for big countries

Make baba no open the border yet oh I want Ghana to beg us first and call us big brother

Nigeria needs to go it alone in order to become the nation she is capable of becoming. Collaborative development with other African Nations will hold Nigeria back because these other Africans are very sneaky and back stabbing. All the collaborative work with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon against Bokoharam and the rest brought no respite; we were inundated with constant news of killings and deaths for ten solid years. However, just a few weeks of Nigeria acting unilaterally in closing borders suddenly few to no more news of killings from Herdsmen, Kidnapers, terrorists and such...

If Nigeria have sense she better leave ECOWAS, Free Trade Zone and leave the French West Africans to their currency issues with France. I may be putting it simplistically but I’m right. I’ve been studying Africa modes of behaviour and intent a long time. Many of these African nations are still beholden to their colonial masters not just economically but mentally and they do so wilfully

This Sowore case will not go away easily,they fear Sowore

Buhari wants to kill off the South so we cant talk.

The Borders in the North are open as the ones in the south are shut.
Why are the Borders in the North Open at Night while the Borders in the South shut?

Listen to house of Reps Member expose the lie of Borders being Open in the North


https://twitter.com/olushola_shola/status/1194973367549464577


Meanwhile another Market Burnt in Lagos bringing the latest number to more than 7 markets since october
With the closed border, they want to kill off the south

https://twitter.com/SubDeliveryZone/status/1195005022683181057


They want to kill the South

Cool

Ok

My worry is that the joint patrol team may see this as an avenue to enrich themselves heavily through bribery.

Meanwhile i think that the border should still remain closed till January 2020.

What is the motive behind the pressure by these neighboring countries to open the border before December?

I dont even understand why Ghana has been wailing endlessly more than the countries we share border with.

Nigeria be wise in this whole thing o.

Bribe money just increased

Waladade4luv:
Make baba no open the border yet oh I want Ghana to beg us first and call us big brother

Oga u go wait taya










Meanwhile enjoy ur stone rice

Can't the FG read between the lines? This is strategic manipulation. They will soon abuse the collaboration. The FG should beware. Our borders are our strength as a people. Unfortunately, those square pegs in round holes will damage everything. Check my blog for all your security needs this ember period at www.securitymattersafrica.com

nototribalist:
When Ghanaian President thought he was invited to the meeting meant for big countries

U say ..?

Wen did niger become a big country guy ur a clown

Hope they also form kukunase force to fight smuggling of totorigland.

This is the only time the president is getting an unprecedented support from the masses. They shouldn't disappoint. The FG should not shift ground please.