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Kebbi State — The Federal Government has approved the reopening of the Tsamiya land border between Kebbi State and the Benin Republic to boost trans-border trade and ease economic hardship caused by the prolonged closure.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi, disclosed this on Saturday during an interactive session with stakeholders in Kebbi State, noting that the approval was granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He said the decision followed sustained consultations aimed at balancing trade facilitation with national security concerns.
Adeniyi said the Federal Government was aware of the challenges faced by exporters, transporters and traders as a result of the border closure, stressing that the reopening would be implemented under clearly defined security protocols to prevent criminal activities along the corridor.
“We are not indifferent to the hardship this situation has caused. Stakeholders have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to address these issues. However, we must ensure that trade is facilitated without compromising national security,” he said.
The CGC warned against diversion of goods in transit, stating that any truck found operating outside approved corridors would be seized. He added that Customs had prosecuted offenders and sanctioned erring officers in the past and would not hesitate to take further legal action against violators.
Adeniyi also revealed that Nigeria recently received an urgent delegation from the Niger Republic Customs Service and its Chamber of Commerce in Abuja to fast-track solutions to trade bottlenecks in the region. He disclosed plans to deploy an ICT-based interconnectivity system linking the customs administrations of Nigeria, Benin Republic and Niger Republic to enhance cargo declaration, monitoring and transparency.
He further emphasised the need for the development of border communities, noting that inclusive growth would strengthen security, cooperation and compliance.
In his remarks, Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, described the reopening of the Tsamiya border as a welcome development that would stimulate economic activities in the state. He assured that the state government was ready to work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies to ensure a smooth and secure reopening.
“We are prepared to support Customs and other security agencies to achieve their objectives. This administration will also support the families of Customs officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, in line with established procedures,” the governor said.
Idris also pledged the provision of two Hilux vehicles to support Customs operations at the Tsamiya border.
Speaking at the event, a senior officer of the Benin Republic Customs Service, Immora Idrisu, commended Nigeria for reopening the corridor and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to bilateral cooperation.
“We work hand in hand with Nigerian Customs to facilitate safe and secure trade. We commend the leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service and will fully support this initiative,” he said.
Earlier, the President of the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Isa Aliyu, said the Tsamiya corridor was critical to the survival of onion farmers and traders, noting that onions are highly perishable.
“Every hour of delay translates into losses. Border closures push trade to illegal routes, weaken regulation and reduce government revenue,” Aliyu said.
He added that reopening the border would support President Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, boost gross domestic product (GDP), increase internally generated revenue for onion-producing states, create jobs and improve trade data collection.
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