President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has instructed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to permit trucks carrying transit goods to Niger Republic to move through Benin Republic and Kebbi State.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, revealed the directive during a courtesy visit to Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday.
The policy aims to ease regional trade while safeguarding Nigeria’s security and economic interests.
It also intends to remove persistent cross-border logistics challenges without weakening regulatory control or border security.
Adeniyi said the presidential directive would boost transit cargo efficiency and strengthen monitoring systems to prevent misuse.
The plan focuses on easing the movement of transit cargo, especially goods from Apapa seaports and Nigerian airports destined for neighbouring countries. He added that the NCS would deploy technology-driven solutions to ensure transparency and accountability.
“President Tinubu has directed us to allow trucks transit to Niger Republic through Benin Republic and Kebbi,” Adeniyi said.
“We are deploying modern technology to prevent diversion of goods from their intended destinations,” he added.
He warned that operators violating transit regulations would face strict penalties, stressing that non-compliance could create trade barriers and weaken regional trust.
Adeniyi also disclosed that Customs aims to achieve a 48-hour clearance window for qualified transit cargo under the new system.
Nigeria’s decision signals a shift from stricter transit policies adopted in recent years.
In 2023, the Federal Government suspended transit cargo movement to Niger Republic and placed Customs officers on red alert across land borders.
The decision followed the July 2023 military takeover in Niger Republic, which removed President Mohamed Bazoum from office.
Nigeria and other ECOWAS members imposed sanctions on Niger, including border closures, to pressure the military authorities.
However, Nigeria reopened its borders with Niger Republic in 2024 and lifted sanctions.
President Tinubu announced the move following agreements reached by ECOWAS leaders at an extraordinary summit in Abuja on February 24, 2024.
He stated that Nigeria reopened land and air borders and lifted sanctions in line with ECOWAS’ decision to remove restrictions on Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
Despite the policy shift, diplomatic and security concerns continue to affect relations between Nigeria and Niger Republic.
In December 2025, Niger introduced new restrictions on goods from Nigeria, citing security concerns.
Authorities ordered that goods, especially items classified as miscellaneous, be unloaded and inspected at border entry points before onward movement.
The decision followed Burkina Faso’s detention of 11 Nigerian military officers and seizure of a Nigerian Air Force cargo plane after an unauthorised airspace entry during an emergency landing.
These incidents highlight ongoing security and diplomatic tensions affecting trade across the Sahel region.
In December 2025, the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) announced that a Nigerian C-130 aircraft made an emergency landing in Bobo-Dioulasso on December 8, 2025.
Authorities later detained the aircraft, triggering fresh diplomatic concerns.
The AES, comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic, formally took shape after the three countries exited ECOWAS in January 2025.
Their military governments accused ECOWAS of failing to support their anti-terrorism efforts and imposing sanctions that harmed citizens.
Although ECOWAS later lifted sanctions and introduced measures such as duty-free trade and visa-free movement, tensions have persisted.
In April 2025, AES introduced a 0.5 percent import duty on goods from ECOWAS countries, further complicating regional trade relations.
