Nigeria and the Republic of Benin have reached a landmark agreement on a joint trade framework aimed at deepening regional economic integration, eliminating cross-border trade bottlenecks, and fostering inclusive growth across West Africa.
The agreement was formalised during a high-level bilateral meeting held on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at the Ministère de l’Économie et des Finances in Cotonou. The session brought together senior officials from both governments, including customs leaders, trade policy experts, and technical teams, to lay the groundwork for a coordinated and efficient trade environment.
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Mrs. Jumoke Oduwole, described the development as a “bold and strategic advancement” in West Africa’s drive toward regional economic cooperation.
> “This agreement signals strong political will from both countries to pursue a progressive and inclusive trade relationship,” she said, referencing the earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Presidents Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Patrice Talon during the West African Economic Summit.
She noted that the new framework builds on presidential directives, with technical teams tasked to operationalise commitments through focused initiatives on trade facilitation, enforcement, data sharing, and infrastructure development.
> “Our joint commitment is to dismantle trade barriers, enhance logistics, and transform commerce into a vehicle for job creation and shared prosperity across our borders,” Oduwole added.
Also addressing the meeting, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, affirmed the Service’s readiness to implement the agreement in line with national trade priorities and regional standards.
> “What we have witnessed today is the outcome of 48 hours of intensive technical deliberations between Nigerian and Beninese Customs authorities. The framework we’ve developed reflects the shared vision of our Presidents for a more prosperous regional economy,” Adeniyi said.
He announced that a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding building on the agreed framework is scheduled for signing in the first quarter of 2026. In the interim, Nigeria Customs will focus on implementing corridor-based solutions to streamline transit and transshipment trade, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.
> “We are removing the red tape that hinders local businesses and activating new trade corridors. System connectivity between both countries has already commenced,” he added.
Adeniyi also commended the Director-General of Benin Customs, Mrs. Adidjatou Hassan Zanouvi, for her leadership and support, particularly in endorsing Nigeria’s candidacy at the recent World Customs Organisation (WCO) Council meeting held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
As part of the engagement, both delegations conducted an inspection tour of the Cotonou Port, examining port procedures and identifying modernisation opportunities. They also visited the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post, symbolising the commitment to coordinated border management as a cornerstone of regional integration.
The joint trade framework is expected to usher in a new era of economic cooperation between Nigeria and Benin, underpinned by transparency, technological integration, and mutual economic advancement.
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