Economic sanctions against the Niger Republic are causing ripple effects in at least seven Nigerian states bordering Niger to the south. In the third week of the political and economic unrest, over 8.5 million Nigerians living in border towns and communities have continued to record losses totaling more than N40 billion.
They claim that since the federal government blocked the border on August 3, perishable items such as onions, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and cattle have been lost, while trade worth $226.34 million is in jeopardy.
Some marriage relationships are also jeopardized since couples who engaged in cross-border trading prior to the border closure have been unable to return to their respective homes.
Recall that the Economic Communities of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of States suspended economic relations with Niger following a military coup led by General Abdlourahamane Tchiani, which abridged democracy and ousted Mohammed Bazoum as the country’s president.
Seven states, including Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno, shared a 1,608-kilometer stretch of border with the francophone country.
According to The Guardian, the states are losing an estimated N13 billion each week due to the border closure, which affects trade, farming, and markets.
As a result, prices of locally produced rice and other products have risen in border towns as smuggling and other cross-border transactions have been prohibited, exacerbating inhabitants’ economic conditions.
A 50kg bag of local rice sold for N17,000 before the border closure is now worth N30,000, but the same kilogramme of imported rice sold for N30,000 is now worth N55,000, implying an increase in demand for local rice.
Aside from rice, Nigeria relies on the route for edible fruit and nuts, citrus fruit or melons peel, raw hides and skins (other than fur skins) and leather, edible vegetables and some roots and tubers, dairy produce; birds’ eggs; natural honey; edible animal items, and others.
Nigeria, in turn, exports mineral fuels, mineral oils and distillation products, bituminous substances, tobacco and manufactured tobacco replacements, salt, sulphur, plastering materials, lime, cement, plastics, fertilizers, and others that have been halted.
Ibrahim Dandakata, Chairman of the Arewa Economic Forum (AEF), believes the border shutdown is harming Nigerians, noting that Northern Nigerian merchants have almost 2,000 containers of perishable commodities stranded at the border.
“Financially, our members lose N13 billion per week at the Nigeria-Niger border,” he said. It has had a devastating impact on us in the North. We Nigerians gain more from trade between Nigeria and Niger, hence the current border blockade affects us more than Nigeriens.”
He proposed opening the Maje border post between Nigeria and Benin Republic in Kebbi State as an alternative way to spare farmers and traders from further resource loss.
“According to 2022 statistics,” Dandakata stated, “formal trade between the two countries accounts for $234 million (N171 billion), while informal trade is roughly estimated to be $683 million (N515 billion), mostly in perishable commodities.”
“With the border closure, the average weekly loss in trade value is about N13 billion,” he stated. We highly suggest the immediate reopening of Maje/Illo border station in Kebbi State, which Nigerian traders use to enter Benin Republic and Niger Republic, because the closure is on important borders between Niger and Nigeria in Jibia in Katsina, Illela in Sokoto, and Maigatari in Jigawa,” he observed.
He cautioned that military action in the Niger problem would wipe out all of Nigeria’s successes in fighting militants in Northern Nigeria.
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“If that military intervention begins, arms will flood Nigeria,” he added. Northern Nigeria would not be immune to the issue. It will spread throughout Nigeria, the sub-region, and beyond.
Mallam Sani Kankia, a native of Sokoto State’s Illela local government area, which borders Tahoua in Niger, stated a major amount of their community’s food is derived from Niger.
“We are facing food scarcity as a result of the border closure,” he stated. This scarcity has led in skyrocketing prices, notably a dramatic increase in the price of imported rice from N30,000 to N55,000 per bag, and a bag of millet from N45,000 to N65,000.”
Residents of Katsina State areas near the Nigerian border with Niger have also criticized the decline in socioeconomic activities since the gates were closed.
Residents in Baure, Jibia, Kaita, Maiadua, Mashi, and Zango local councils in Katsina State who spoke with The Guardian said farming and trading activities had been halted due to fears of being attacked by militants and strange faces in their communities.
Mallam Lawal Kaita, one of the traders, said the border closure had left Magama market in Jibia, which they run every Sunday, desolate.
“Maiadua market is located in Kongolam and opens on Sundays, with a variety of goods such as household items, domestic animals, and electrical appliances,” he stated.
Alhaji Umaru Shirwa, a community leader in Kongolam, regretted the situation and urged the Federal Government to seek other ways of engaging the people.
When approached, Bishir Maito, the chairman of Jibia local council, declined to comment, but he did say that certain members of the National Assembly had informed him of their “visit to the community to assess the impact of the border closure on the residents.”
PRIOR TO the abrupt closure of the border, Illela in Sokoto State was a bustling town like any other border town, with thriving enterprises and trans-border trade.
Fear, suspicion, and conflict have supplanted Nigeria and Niger Republic’s long history of fraternal relations. The Illela international cattle market used to draw buyers and sellers from all over Nigeria, as well as neighboring countries such as Togo, Chad, and Mali.
Bashir Zubairu, Chairman of the Market’s Cattle Section, told The Guardian that “the market has been the worst hit since the border closure, as herds of cows cannot be brought to the market.”
“The decision to close the border was completely strange to nomadic herdsmen who move around with their animals in search of pasture,” he said. Those who had already planned to take their animals to the Illela international cattle market had to redirect them to other surrounding countries. The lack of animals in the market limited market activity and revenue.
“As I speak with you, the border closure has had a negative impact on our business due to the exchange rate of Naira to CFA.”
Alhaji Abubakar Usman, lamenting the detrimental impacts of the border restriction, stated that “because of our closeness with the Republic of Niger, anything that affects them will affect us.” The decision to close the Illela border with Niger Republic has begun to have an impact on our economy and way of life.
Abdallah Nasir is in a pickle since the border restriction has paralyzed his successful iced block company.
“I go to Niger Republic every day to buy iced blocks, bring them to Illela, and sell because they have constant power supply, unlike what happens in Illela,” Abdallah explained.
“I usually buy between N8000 and N100,000 worth of iced blocks to sell every day, but since the border has been closed, there is no way for me to enter Niger Republic.” There is currently no business; we are surviving on the little money I have saved. I’m hoping that the border will be restored soon so that I don’t have to tamper with the capital for my firm.
Concerned by ECOWAS’ threats to use military force to restore democracy in Niger Republic, Alhaji Mijinyawa Auta urged ECOWAS Heads of State to exhibit prudence.
The border closure was anticipated to have a $226.34 million impact on bilateral trade. The International Trade Centre estimates that imports and exports between Nigeria and Niger would total $226.34 million in 2022. Nigeria imported $33.43 million in goods.
There was also a flurry of complaints as residents of Maigatari town and Galadi village in Jigawa State’s Babura local government area, which share a border with Niger Republic, pleaded with the Federal Government to engage the military junta in peaceful dialogue to end the hostility and save many Nigerian businesses.
According to them, trading activities have ended in several markets in the state’s Shuwarin in Kiyawa local government, Sara in Gwaram, and Gujungu in Taura local government areas.
The Guardian witnessed complete and utter compliance with the border closure at both the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) entry ports, with both gates remaining firmly locked.
This is in stark contrast to the closure in 2021, when Fulani women from Niger Republic selling fura da nono (local dairy milk) were allowed to enter the town. This time, not even the bush paths known as “No man’s land” were spared the eagle eyes of the combined border security services, who refused all requests to allow the reporter entry to Adari, a community on the other side of the Niger republic.
Malam Muhammadu Ibrahim, the leader of the Maigatari International market, painted a bleak picture of the sanctions’ effects, saying the situation has brought immeasurable misery to his members and even businessmen from Nigeria Republic, who rely on each other for commerce.
“Going to war with the Niger Republic is something we cannot even think about or pray for because we and them are one,” he says. Some of our women and children live in Niger, while their own wives and children live and work in Nigeria.
“All we can say is that we implore our leaders, particularly our president, to consider resolving this crisis as soon as possible so that we can return to our former selves.”
Alhaji Muhammadu Danduwa, a former chairman and currently the Secretary-General of the Cattle Dealers’ Association, Maigatari International market, echoes his sentiment. The impact of the sanction on the cattle trading sector is huge, because it is the principal business.
FORMER Foreign Affairs Minister and ex-governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has blamed the current crisis on “President Bola Tinubu’s diplomatic naivety,” and has called for a quick reversal of steps to save the situation.
In a statement, Lamido recommended the president to speak widely with some of his predecessors who are still alive in order to learn from their experiences on how to manage some of the thorny diplomatic situations.
“In the last few days, two brotherly and sisterly countries were on the verge of war for reasons neither of them could fathom or justify,” he remarked. Nigeria’s big brother has grown so engrossed in a far-fetched multilateral moral sham of regional creation known as ECOWAS that it has abandoned its essential main responsibility to the constituency (Nigeria) that gave it the legal authorization to that membership.
“I thought President Tinubu would have looked into the chemistry of the cocktail called ECOWAS from the start before making weighty decisions on any issue that affects the region and its consequences on his country,” he said.
“There is complete agreement in Nigeria that we should not go to war with Niger for a variety of reasons, particularly the seven states bordering Niger Republic!” In any case, the Senate, which is required by the Nigerian Constitution to confer such powers on the President, has unequivocally refused to do so.”
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