The landlocked nation redirects trade through Nigeria as border closure with Benin disrupts vital commerce routes.
Niger has turned to Nigerian ports to meet its international trade needs following a diplomatic dispute with neighbouring Benin Republic, which has resulted in the closure of key border routes .
In a meeting with officials of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja, the Comptroller of Nigerien Customs (Douanes du Dosso), Abdoulaye Vincent, called for stronger collaboration between Nigerian and Nigerien Customs to facilitate legitimate trade. Vincent noted that the security situation along the Burkina Faso and Togo routes, as well as the prevailing diplomatic situation with Benin, had disrupted trade .
CDA News Nigeria gathered that tensions between Niger and Benin escalated after the July 2023 coup in Niger. Niger’s military junta accused pro-Western Benin of wanting to destabilise it, claims which Cotonou denied. After Benin’s President Patrice Talon backed ECOWAS’ stance to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, Niger closed its border with Benin .
The border closure significantly impacted Niger’s trade, as the landlocked nation relies heavily on Benin’s port of Cotonou for imports and exports . A Nigerien economic operator, Yacouba Dan Maradi, described the situation: “We have truly been impacted in every sense—emotionally, commercially, and financially. We took advantage of the bypass through Nigeria for a while, but that also came with risks, especially financial ones” .
Niger’s reorientation toward Nigeria follows the February 2026 reopening of the Tsamiya-Kamba corridor between Nigeria, Niger and Benin . Over 1,600 Niger-bound trucks, stranded for months in Kamba, were finally able to move from the Port of Cotonou, helping replenish markets with essential goods and ease inflationary pressures in Niger .
Nigeria has positioned itself as both a potential mediator and a key actor in strengthening economic connectivity between coastal states and landlocked Sahelian countries . However, the economic benefits are likely to remain limited without trilateral security coordination, as the border triangle linking northern Benin, northwestern Nigeria and southwestern Niger has become a major insecurity hotspot .
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