What is the situation with Niger and its southern neighbours?
Eighteen months after a coup d’état, Niger’s trade routes remain in flux. Understand the implications of border closures, alternative routes, and the precarious security situation for commercial traffic.
Since the last Coup d’Etat on 26th July 2023 resulting in tensions with its immediate neighbours, Niger closed its borders, effectively isolating the country from the rest of the world. Eighteen months on, borders are still shut to commercial traffic.
Niger’s southern border is shared with Nigeria, Benin and Burkina Faso. The first two are coastal countries and their ports are considered natural entry ports for Niger. Without access to these ports, no goods can be imported or exported pushing Niger to more economic precarity for a country with very little manufacturing industries. Today, the situation remains very fragile.
The only way to import or export your goods to/from Niger (apart from airfreight) is to use the long route from ports of Cotonou, Lome or even Tema is through Burkina Faso and the Tera border crossing at the extreme western border. This means major cost increases, security issues and transit time delays.
The route is through the “3 border zone” infamous for high jihadists attacks. Trucks are not allowed to pass through this zone without military escorts. Authorities have organised escorts but they are unscheduled and only depart when sufficient numbers of trucks have accumulated. It is not unusual to see convoys consisting of 2,000 + trucks and it can take anything from 4 to 6 weeks to go through this zone alone!
Situation is improving gradually though, Benin announced the re-opening of its border with Niger. Nigeria border is rumoured to be open but no commercial vehicles have been seen going through. An announcement concerning border closures from the Niger transition government is expected in the next few days.
