President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to allow trucks conveying transit goods to Niger Republic to pass through Benin Republic and Kebbi State.
The directive was disclosed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, during a courtesy visit to Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday.
The move is aimed at easing regional trade flows while maintaining Nigeria’s national security and economic interests.
It also seeks to resolve long-standing bottlenecks in cross-border logistics without undermining regulatory oversight or border security.
The Comptroller-General said the presidential directive would significantly improve the efficiency of transit cargo operations while strengthening monitoring mechanisms to prevent abuse of the system.
The initiative is designed to facilitate the movement of transit cargo, particularly goods originating from Apapa seaports and Nigerian airports and destined for neighbouring countries, stressing that the NCS would rely on technology-driven solutions to ensure transparency and accountability.
“President Tinubu has given us the mandate to allow trucks to transit to Niger Republic through Benin Republic and Kebbi,” Adeniyi said.
“We are deploying modern technology to ensure goods meant for specific destinations are not diverted,” he added.
Adeniyi warned that economic operators who violate transit regulations would face stiff sanctions, noting that non-compliance could create non-tariff barriers and erode trust between Nigeria and its neighbours.
He said the NCS is targeting a 48-hour clearance timeline for eligible transit cargo under the new arrangement.
Nigeria’s decision to relax transit cargo restrictions marks a reversal of a tougher stance adopted in recent years.
In 2023, the Federal Government banned the movement of transit cargo to the Niger Republic and placed Nigeria Customs officers on red alert across land borders.
That action followed the July 2023 military coup in Niger Republic, which led to the overthrow and detention of President Mohamed Bazoum.
Nigeria, alongside other members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), imposed sanctions on Niger, including border closures, as part of efforts to pressure the junta.
However, in 2024, Nigeria reopened its borders with the Niger Republic and lifted other sanctions.
President Tinubu announced the decision in line with resolutions reached by ECOWAS leaders at an extraordinary summit held on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.
“Today, I have directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger and the lifting of other sanctions against Niger Republic with immediate effect,” Tinubu said at the time, citing ECOWAS’ agreement to lift economic sanctions against Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
Despite Nigeria’s policy shift, relations between the two countries remain fragile, with security concerns continuing to influence trade policies.
In December 2025, the Republic announced new restrictions on goods originating from Nigeria, citing heightened security risks.
Nigerien authorities directed that all goods, especially those classified as “miscellaneous goods,” be offloaded and thoroughly inspected at entry points before proceeding further into the country.
The announcement came shortly after Burkina Faso detained 11 Nigerian military officers and seized a Nigerian Air Force cargo plane following an unauthorised entry into its airspace during an emergency landing.
These developments underscore the fragile security and diplomatic environment affecting trade across the Sahel region.
What you should know
In December 2025, the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) disclosed that a Nigerian C-130 aircraft was forced to land in Bobo Djoulasso on December 8, 2025, following what was described as an emergency situation during its flight.
The aircraft was subsequently detained, raising fresh diplomatic concerns.
The AES, made up of Burkina Faso, Mali, and the Niger Republic, formally emerged after the three countries withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2025.
Their military governments accused ECOWAS of failing to support their fight against terrorism and of imposing sanctions that harmed their populations.
Although ECOWAS later lifted the sanctions and introduced transitional measures such as duty-free trade, visa-free movement, and residence rights, tensions have persisted.
In April 2025, the AES imposed a 0.5 per cent import duty on goods from ECOWAS member states, further straining relations and complicating regional trade dynamics.
