Challenging now but in the long run, it would be good for our economy. We have the leverage to grow which is our huge population.

The same reason China refuses to open up fully to US led capitalistic idealogy because they have the leverage(population) of the market. This is why the trade war between US and China still lingers.

China did it and look where they are now. May be tough at first but we will smile later.

It's good..
But u can't just close a border suddenly with out any backup plans ..
It good and it's the right decision but it will surely affect us

I give this to PMB if nothing else. This border tins dey spot on especially considering multiple prong effect it has on smugglers economic Sabotage and dumpers of unwanted goods in the likes of arrogant Ghana. I think this really cut them to size and checkmate these unsolicited nefarious activities on our borders.

I believe they should have accounted for the resulting increase in traffic at the Ports.
As it stands, the Port in Lagos cannot handle the volume of goods coming in.

deepwater:
Open the goddam border

so that?

REALLY DUMB MOVE!

Sadly, Nigeria has become like the proverbial farmer whose farm is on fire and instead of fighting the fire, he busies himself with chasing bush rats fleeing said fire. Thus, instead of addressing structural issues that impede local production and productivity, we merely place an additional layer of effective ‘taxation’ (an Incompetence Tax, if you will) on POOR NIGERIAN CONSUMERS IN THE WORLD’S CAPITAL OF EXTREME POVERTY by DECREASING the quantity (perhaps even quality) of goods available to them and thus invariably condemn them to HIGHER PRICES for fewer goods (and choices).
>

subtlemee:
What did they keep in place to check issues that may arise as a result of the closure?

Issues like what and what? The most hit are agro products and I've always believed its high time Nigeria as a nation is self reliant in food production. If this what will make us do the right thing then let it be!

No public enlightenment

No palliative whatsoever

No structure in place, then voom border closure

SincereBigot:
Its a great move... anybody that thinks otherwise should use the sea ports

. So it is only the sea border that we can secure. Land borders nko? It has to be closed so that our ineptitude in collecting necessary tax on land borders would be concealed.
Customs shd be sacked for failure at our porous land borders.
To your chagrin, there was an article on NL yesterday or so about how smuggling still flourish across the so called closed borders. So you see the staggering security management at our borders

*Benin Republic has a population of 12 million people. But it is the worlds 5th importer of rice. In 2018, it imported rice worth US$996m.*

*Benin is also world's largest importer of _used_ _cars_ and __second_ - _hand_ _clothing_ . All with a population of 12m people.*
*DO YOU WONDER HOW?.........*
*Don't!*

*98.2% of these imports into Benin are only on transit; their final destination is _NIGERIA_ !*
*Nigeria is world's largest consumer of used cars and second hand clothing, and is also Africa's largest consumer of Asian grown rice.*

*The problem here is that all these imported goods attract appropriate import duty and trade tax, which are paid to the Beninoise Government while the goods are thence SMUGGLED into Nigeria WITHOUT ANY PAYMENT to the Nigerian Government and, thereby, adding zero value to the Nigerian economy!*
*Sadly, THIS IS ALL DONE BY NIGERIANS!*


*Granted, ECOWAS/CEDEAO charter allows for free trade between member states, but _on_ _goods_ _produced_ _in_ _member_ _countries_ , and NOT on imports from other economic blocs.*

*Where foreign goods are transiting through a member country, and ending up in another member country, the ECOWAS charter stipulates that the country of transit MAY collect a token trade tax, and its Customs officials should then escort the goods to the border of the importing country and hand it over to the Customs officials of the importing country!*
*But what we see in the case of Benin Republic is that it collects _CUSTOMS_ _DUTY_ plus _TRADE_ _TAX_ , and then allows the goods to pass through its hinterland for onward smuggle into Nigeria!*

*This is a clear violation of ECOWAS statutes and no nation can condone such costly infraction.*

*Nigeria has tolerated this nonsense from Benin for far too long and it is time to stop the malpractice if we want Nigeria's economy to grow.*
*(Therefore, whoever cries foul because we have closed our borders to smugglers while we're putting our act together, IS AN ENEMY OF NIGERIA!)*

*Nigeria makes up about 74% of ECOWAS population and about 71% of its economy. It is ECOWAS that needs Nigeria and not the other way round!*

ANY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEMBER COUNTRIES MUST BE BASED ON EXTANT REGULATIONS!

It's cool. Let's eat what we have

It's a wrong policy. As wrong as many other policies of this government.

We are yet to produce enough to cater for our consumption. This has led to shortage.
The shortage is the reason why the price of local rice is shooting up.

Of course, smuggling will be inevitable under the circumstance. The smuggled rice will also be expensive due to the cost incurred in bringing in the rice through unofficial channels.

nauto5:
Do we have border ?

In many parts of the North, we really don’t...
>

helinues:
Even the oppositions are in supports of Buhari about the border closures . Most sensible things for Nigeria government to do since 1999.

This is a huge opportunities for our local farmers and manufacturers

I SWEAR!!!

The border closure is to tackle illegal entry of products in the country so it's a welcome development

Nigeria is a copy and paste country. The government ends up pasting wrongly . The fed govt failed to put an alternative arrangement in place before closing the border. Our sea port is so congested now.

Let me take the liberty of re-posting my earlier position on this matter from another thread...
https://www.nairaland.com/5474595/border-closure-nigerians-shun-local/3#83179529

9jaRealist:
We have a structural problem....
But we are trying to use a cosmetic approach to bamboozle folks instead of working to resolve the REAL issues.

Let examine the underlying structural issues that this cosmetic border closing does absolutely NOTHING to resolve, and why NIGERIA has some of the world’s HIGHEST costs of production and why we still rely on imports for even some of the products that we produce in relative abundance. Let’s start, for example, with tomatoes (since it’s what has kick-started this discourse). Nigeria is actually Africa’s leading producer (and among the world’s leading producers) of tomatoes, but we lose at least 40% of our harvests (some estimates put our losses as high as 60+%) before it gets to market on account of a lack of storage and preservation infrastructure and terrible roads and poor logistics. Closing the border does NOTHING to resolve this. It merely results in POOR NIGERIAN CONSUMERS IN THE WORLD’S CAPITAL OF EXTREME POVERTY having to pay HIGHER prices since without the Benin Republic imports, there’ll now be FEWER tomatoes in the market.

Now, let’s look at rice. It may surprise some to learn that Nigeria is actually Africa’s leading producer of rice, having overtaken Egypt in 2017 or thereabouts, but we are still short of meeting local market demand from entirely domestic production (either because our population keeps growing or our taste keeps changing, not surprisingly in tandem with increased urbanization). Accordingly, without importation, we merely replicate the situation with tomatoes - that is, POOR NIGERIAN CONSUMERS IN THE WORLD’S CAPITAL OF EXTREME POVERTY having to pay HIGHER prices because without supplementing local production with imports, we are left with FEWER rice in the same local market. Meanwhile, we have to HONESTLY ask ourselves how rice produced on the other side of the world (often with relatively more expensive labor) and then shipped halfway across the globe still manages to cost SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER than locally-produced rice (stone and all).

REALITY (and as my moniker indicates, I’m a hard-nosed realist) is closing land borders does absolutely NOTHING to redress why we have some of the world’s HIGHEST costs of production, not only in respect of rice but with many other products. Our farmers still rely on mostly poor seedlings and poor farming methods, and thus we have probably the LOWEST yield per hectare in most of the developing world. In addition, we are lacking in irrigation infrastructure, and thus not only are we still compelled to rely on the somewhat unpredictable fortunes of “the rains” but are also stuck with seasonal farming instead of year-round farming (which is why we are Africa’s largest producer of maize, and among the world’s leading producers but PARADOXICALLY also one of the world’s leading importers of maize - because for more than half of the calendar year, we neither plant nor harvest corn). Of course, already discussed the issue of poor/non-available storage facilities as well as poor roads and other transportation/logistic infrastructure, that constrains getting products to the market TIMELY AND COST-EFFECTIVELY.

Accordingly, if this government was really serious about sound economic policy and development, it would help farmers with improved seedlings for better yields, with irrigation infrastructure to drive year-round farming, proper storage facilities including cold storage for perishables (such as these tomatoes), much better road transportation and logistics infrastructure, necessary market and pricing intelligence/information, in addition of course to better agricultural financing and insurance, among others. Even if some misguided policy makers in Abuja erroneously believe that the border closure is an optimal means to encourage local production (not sure why, but the cluelessness and incompetence in Abuja can never be overestimated), there would still be a LAG TIME for local producers to cultivate, harvest and mill (in the case of rice) their products before even getting to market, so why a SUDDEN closure which simply results in FEWER products in the market.

Sadly, Nigeria has become like the proverbial farmer whose farm is on fire and instead of fighting the fire, he busies himself with chasing bush rats fleeing said fire. Thus, instead of addressing structural issues that impede local production and productivity, we merely place an additional layer of effective ‘taxation’ (an Incompetence Tax, if you will) on POOR NIGERIAN CONSUMERS IN THE WORLD’S CAPITAL OF EXTREME POVERTY by DECREASING the quantity (perhaps even quality) of goods available to them and thus invariably condemn them to HIGHER PRICES for fewer goods (and choices). So, let’s be clear about this - the closure of the land borders is an ill-advised resort to cheap cosmetic POPULISM (in derogation of sound economic policy) that bedazzles the gullible but which does absolutely NOTHING to address/redress our structural issues! After, Mr. Buhari drives even more Nigerians quicker into POVERTY, we’ll still be at Square One!
>

>

To me, being a full time farmer, I say it is the best! Even for the Nation






May God bless all the brains behind the initiative

Dozzywest:
primarily those worst hit are local farmers and traders within other sub saharan Africa. As long as we remain independent in the literally sense of it and producing what we consume here. The main objective is to encourage domestic production, and I think that the agricultural sector and SMEs are key areas to be looked into. Buhari and his economic advisers should be religious enough to carry us all along with these plans.

In actual fact, what has been hidden from view of most casual observers is the fact that the most hit elements are the French interests behind the multi-billion dollars import-to-smuggle value chain that generates its wealth by importing contraband into Benin and subsequently using local runners to smuggle same into Nigeria.

They are into agricultural produce (apples, berries, rice, poultry etc), FCMGs (juice, chocolates, candies, dairy etc) and used items (automobiles, leather products, clothing etc) and have succeeded in crippling Nigeria's own local industry in these items.

The French/Francophone media paint a picture of poor farmers and small businesses across West Africa being hurt by the big bully, Nigeria. While this is not totally false description of what is happening, it is still a misrepresentation of the facts. The French "dark market" interests are hurting and hurting bad and are the ones using their influence in Europe and Francophone Africa to plant anti-Nigerian reportage in notable media.

I support the border closure as a part of our plans to bargain with our neighbors in the hope to relaunch Nigeria but not as a permanent feature of our relationship with West Africa.

Multiplier7:
I don't think is a nice decision. It is the right step in the right direction.

Though the FG should brace up for matters arising: Establishing a new port or equipping the ones on ground must be it's first priority.

I don't think is a nice decision. It is the right step in the right direction. *…....…........................................................*

But it seems you are contradicting yourself judging from your above statement. You can try to clarify your position.

NimrodEndOfDays:
The dvmbest and most irrational policy ever undertaken by any government. At the end of the day,it's still the same masses that would suffer. I am sure it's foreign rice that is eaten in Aso Rock and the homes of these politicians. Am in awe how people even support this.

You need help. Your lot will seat at ur comfort zone shouting Nigeria Is bad. Closing be border will only promote Nigeria products, and lead it to being better. Those foreign rice u were talking bout didn't just appear good, they worked towards it. So please think deep befor u leap

The whole border closure to me is completely pointless and total waste of energy. Just because you want to promote local rice production, you shut down all the borders to mitigate smuggling.
When ban rice importation when you know the local rice production hasn't attained sufficiency yet? Don't tell me you are trying to protect local farmers. If you have their interest at heart, government should provide them with better farming techniques and improved technology so that they can compete favorably with their peers in India and Thailand.

Vixlot:
It is a very good policy

Idiot

It's a good move. Just that our leaders won't utilize the opportunities for the benefit of the masses.

Mac2016:

. So it is only the sea border that we can secure. Land borders nko? It has to be closed so that our ineptitude in collecting necessary tax on land borders would be concealed.
Customs shd be sacked for failure at our porous land borders.
To your chagrin, there was an article on NL yesterday or so about how smuggling still flourish across the so called closed borders. So you see the staggering security management at our borders

Smuggling still occurs in the most developed countries.. ask the USA why they are building a wall.. i am anti APC and a farmer, so ill support the closure

yahussaini:
*Benin Republic has a population of 12 million people. But it is the worlds 5th importer of rice. In 2018, it imported rice worth US$996m.*

*Benin is also world's largest importer of _used_ _cars_ and __second_ - _hand_ _clothing_ . All with a population of 12m people.*
*DO YOU WONDER HOW?.........*
*Don't!*

*98.2% of these imports into Benin are only on transit; their final destination is _NIGERIA_ !*
*Nigeria is world's largest consumer of used cars and second hand clothing, and is also Africa's largest consumer of Asian grown rice.*

*The problem here is that all these imported goods attract appropriate import duty and trade tax, which are paid to the Beninoise Government while the goods are thence SMUGGLED into Nigeria WITHOUT ANY PAYMENT to the Nigerian Government and, thereby, adding zero value to the Nigerian economy!*
*Sadly, THIS IS ALL DONE BY NIGERIANS!*


*Granted, ECOWAS/CEDEAO charter allows for free trade between member states, but _on_ _goods_ _produced_ _in_ _member_ _countries_ , and NOT on imports from other economic blocs.*

*Where foreign goods are transiting through a member country, and ending up in another member country, the ECOWAS charter stipulates that the country of transit MAY collect a token trade tax, and its Customs officials should then escort the goods to the border of the importing country and hand it over to the Customs officials of the importing country!*
*But what we see in the case of Benin Republic is that it collects _CUSTOMS_ _DUTY_ plus _TRADE_ _TAX_ , and then allows the goods to pass through its hinterland for onward smuggle into Nigeria!*

*This is a clear violation of ECOWAS statutes and no nation can condone such costly infraction.*

*Nigeria has tolerated this nonsense from Benin for far too long and it is time to stop the malpractice if we want Nigeria's economy to grow.*
*(Therefore, whoever cries foul because we have closed our borders to smugglers while we're putting our act together, IS AN ENEMY OF NIGERIA!)*

*Nigeria makes up about 74% of ECOWAS population and about 71% of its economy. It is ECOWAS that needs Nigeria and not the other way round!*

ANY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEMBER COUNTRIES MUST BE BASED ON EXTANT REGULATIONS!

First time I would comfortably read and appreciate a long post/on nairaland.
More wisdom bro

Dozzywest:
I think the land border closures is a right and necessary step to causing an economic implosion that will resonate prosperity in all sectors of the economy, especially Agriculture and Manufacturing.

But the problem remains if our law enforcement agencies can ensure a water tight security around the borders and other porous areas and flashpoints to dissuade smuggling.

This is also the right time to promote the local content initiatives, by bringing in the best hands and heads together.

I personally, always have my reservations about some economic policies coming out from Buhari's 'kitchen'. Maybe years to come would either prove me right or wrong about this move.

Your third paragraph is the clincher.
If there are no active programs to promote local content and diversification then the initiative is useless, counter-productive and will only create a virile smuggling industry. Economic pressure must be controlled or it will only lead to unintended consequences.

What are the active programs the government has put in place to ensure those cheap imports are substituted.

mrvitalis:
I look at sustainability of any policy and this is not sustainable ...can we close our borders for 5 years or 10 years or 25 years

Buhari like most Nigerians like treating the symptoms not root cause

The problem is we import foreign rice

Root cuase
1) our local grains are short Nigerians prefer longer grain
2) our yield are small average 1 ton per hectare while Thailand is 10ton per hectare
3) we have evil birds that can eat up ur farm in few days ...eat everything

Closing border is like forcing ur child to listen to radio because he goes to the next compound to watch TV which he love .

My solutions
1) we need to develop our seeds ...Jonathan government did a lot on this regard don't know why they were not continued ...we need to develop long grains

2) develop grains that yeild between 6 to 10 tons per hectare ...n can be planted 2 to 3 times a year

3) give loans to major rice farmers already to expand

4 ) develop ways to handle those evil birds ...we can learn from iseral

Create rice farming villages

Place 50% import duty on rice imported use the money to fund the above

In 5 years we can achieve full sufficiency then u can ban import

Rubbish