Nigeria and Benin have begun implementing a bilateral trade pact to boost cross-border economic cooperation.
The deal aims to ease customs rules, improve transport, and support regional integration under AfCFTA.
Nigeria and the Republic of Benin have launched the implementation phase of a bilateral economic cooperation agreement, signaling a renewed push for regional trade integration and cross-border collaboration.
The agreement was formalized following a high-level two-day meeting between officials of both nations, with discussions centered on executing commitments made during the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) held in Abuja in June 2025.
In a statement issued by Dr. Magnus Eze, spokesperson to Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the pact aims to streamline customs procedures, improve transport infrastructure, enhance trade in services, and promote greater private sector engagement across both countries.
Amb. Odumegwu-Ojukwu hailed the deal as aligning with the economic objectives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She praised President Bola Tinubu’s leadership for convening the regional summit that laid the foundation for the agreement.
According to her, the agreement reflects a shift from informal cross-border trade to structured economic collaboration. “Our shared successes affirm a truth we must never lose sight of the fact that cooperation, not conflict, dialogue, not suspicion, remain our best tools for overcoming obstacles,” she said.
She emphasized the importance of harmonizing trade and customs regulations to eliminate bottlenecks and support investment flows that benefit small and medium-sized enterprises in both countries.
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, presented key resolutions from the bilateral talks. Technical working groups from both sides will continue to work out sector-specific plans and are expected to submit progress reports at a future meeting in Abuja.
The sessions were attended by several top officials, including Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Bakari; Minister of Industry and Trade, Shadiya Assouman; Nigeria’s Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi; and other senior government representatives.
Benin reaffirmed its commitment to advancing joint economic priorities with Nigeria and promoting regional prosperity through sustained cooperation.
At the WAES meeting in June, President Tinubu urged West African leaders to move beyond fragmented efforts and low intra-regional trade, currently below 10%. He called for stronger policy coordination, local processing of mineral resources, and value-added manufacturing within the region.
“Opportunity is not destiny. We must earn it through vision, integration, policy coherence, collaboration, and capital alignment,” the President stated.
