The Federal Government has approved the reopening of the Tsamiya land border in Kebbi State to facilitate trans-border trade between Nigeria and the Benin Republic.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Saturday during an interactive session with stakeholders in Kebbi State, saying the approval was granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Adeniyi said the decision followed sustained engagements with exporters, transporters, farmers, and traders who have been affected by the prolonged closure of the border.
“The Federal Government is not indifferent to the hardship this closure has caused. Behind the scenes, stakeholders have been working tirelessly to address the challenges and arrive at a sustainable solution,” he said.
He noted that while the border would be reopened to boost trade, strict security measures would be enforced to prevent criminal activities along the corridor.
“There are criminals and non-state actors who may attempt to exploit trade routes. Our task is to facilitate legitimate trade without compromising national security,” Adeniyi warned.
The Customs boss revealed that Nigeria recently received a delegation from the Niger Republic Customs Service and its Chamber of Commerce in Abuja to fast-track solutions to regional trade bottlenecks.
According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service plans to deploy an ICT-driven interconnectivity system linking customs administrations in Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Niger Republic to enhance transparency, monitoring, and seamless trade documentation.
He also issued a stern warning against diversion of goods in transit.
“Any truck found outside the approved transit corridor will be seized. We have prosecuted operators and suspended officers in the past, and we will not hesitate to take criminal action against anyone who violates the law,” he stated.
Reacting to the development, Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, described the reopening of the Tsamiya border as a welcome move and assured of the state government’s support for Customs and other security agencies.
“In Kebbi State, we are ready to work closely with the Customs Service and security agencies to ensure that this reopening does not compromise national security,” the governor said.
Idris also pledged support for families of Customs officers who lost their lives in the line of duty and announced logistical backing for border operations.
“This administration will support the families of slain officers according to laid-down procedures. We will also provide two Hilux vehicles to support operations at the Tsamiya border,” he added.
Speaking at the event, a senior officer of the Benin Republic Customs Service, Immora Idrisu, commended Nigeria for reopening the corridor and reaffirmed commitment to bilateral cooperation.
“We work closely with Nigerian Customs to ensure safe and secure trade. We appreciate the leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service and fully support this initiative,” he said.
Meanwhile, the President of the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Isa Aliyu, said the reopening of the Tsamiya corridor was critical for onion farmers and traders.
“Onion is highly perishable. Every hour of delay means losses. When borders are closed, trade shifts to illegal routes, regulation weakens, and government revenue suffers,” Aliyu explained.
He added that reopening the border would support President Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda by boosting GDP, increasing internally generated revenue for onion-producing states, creating jobs, and improving trade data collection.
