Nigeria, Niger Customs Agree On Terms To Eradicate Regional Insurgency, Boost Economic Ties

Nigeria and the Republic of Niger have reaffirmed their resolve to jointly tackle regional insurgency, enhance cross-border security and deepen economic cooperation through strengthened Customs collaboration.

This commitment was restated on Friday, 6 February 2026, at a high-level bilateral meeting between the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Niger Republic Customs Administration, held at the Customs House, Maitama, Abuja.

The meeting was led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and his Nigerien counterpart, director general, Muhammadu Yaqouba.

The engagement focused on improving cooperation on the movement of transit goods destined for Niger through Nigeria, enhancing intelligence and information sharing, addressing security challenges along shared borders, reducing delays along major transit corridors and ensuring that legitimate trade contributes effectively to economic growth in both countries.

Speaking at the meeting, CGC Adeniyi congratulated Yaqouba on his appointment and noted that both Customs administrations share a long-standing professional relationship built through years of engagement at the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and various bilateral initiatives aimed at modernising Customs operations.

He explained that cooperation between the two services is guided not only by shared borders but also by international obligations, particularly Nigeria’s responsibilities under Articles 124 to 132 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantee landlocked countries access to the sea.

Adeniyi acknowledged the operational challenges faced by landlocked countries, noting that dependence on neighbouring countries’ ports and infrastructure often increases transaction costs and weakens competitiveness.

According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service has consistently supported trade facilitation for its landlocked neighbours, including Niger Republic, stressing that this commitment would continue regardless of political differences because trade, security and regional stability are closely interconnected.

Addressing concerns over transit

bottlenecks, the Comptroller-General disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the provision of safe corridors and safe passage to ease the movement of loaded trucks awaiting clearance.

He assured that cargoes transiting through Nigeria—particularly those originating from Apapa ports and Nigerian airports and destined for neighbouring countries—would continue to be processed and moved within 48 hours, without undermining national security or economic interests.

Adeniyi further revealed that strict measures have been put in place to prevent the diversion of transit cargo, warning that economic operators who violate transit regulations would face stiff sanctions.

He noted that non-compliance by a few operators creates non-tariff barriers and erodes trust, adding that the Service is determined to enforce compliance, streamline documentation and eliminate avoidable bottlenecks along key corridors such as Illela–Sokoto–Kamba–Niger Republic, as well as routes linking Apapa ports and Nigerian airports to neighbouring countries.

Describing the meeting as the start of a renewed phase of cooperation, the Comptroller-General stressed that sustained follow-up actions would help redefine operational frameworks, reduce costs, increase trade volumes and make the corridor more attractive to transport operators.

Earlier, the director general of the Niger Republic Customs Administration, Muhammadu Yaqouba, described the visit as a working engagement between two professional Customs services bound by shared responsibilities.

He thanked the Nigeria Customs Service for the warm reception accorded to him and his delegation, noting that the hospitality reflected the longstanding fraternity between both countries and their Customs institutions.

According to him, the visit was necessitated by two major challenges, including the prolonged blockage of trucks transiting from the Republic of Benin to Niger Republic and prevailing security concerns across the region.

Yaqouba said both countries face common security threats, particularly terrorism and banditry, adding that engagements such as the bilateral meeting provide an opportunity to develop lasting solutions through cooperation and coordination.

He disclosed that since 2024, Niger Republic has intensified efforts to combat terrorism, including the launch of Operation Saran Kasa, a coordinated initiative involving all national security agencies, which he said has recorded notable success.

As part of the operation, he noted that scanners have been deployed to inspect all goods entering Niger Republic, stressing that Customs administrations have a critical role to play in combating terrorism, arms trafficking and cross-border criminality.

The Niger Customs chief recalled previous bilateral engagements, including the last meeting held in April 2023, and expressed confidence that both administrations would continue to work together to meet shared obligations and deliver tangible outcomes for their countries.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Major-General Garba Laka, congratulated Yaqouba on his appointment and extended condolences to the Government and people of Niger over a recent terrorist attack near Niamey Airport.

He described the incident as painful, condemned the attack and sympathised with the families of the soldiers who lost their lives, while reaffirming the shared determination of Nigeria and Niger to prevent a recurrence.

Major-General Laka stressed that Nigeria and Niger share more than borders, describing both countries as one people with deep historical, cultural and familial ties, particularly in border communities where families live and trade across both sides.

He warned that insecurity in any part of the Sahel affects the entire region, identifying arms trafficking, drug smuggling and the concealment of ammunition in cargo vehicles as major threats that require coordinated and sustained action.

The National Counter-Terrorism Centre Coordinator disclosed that the Nigerian government accords high priority to Niger-related issues, including trade, energy supply and security, noting that requests from Niger, especially on petroleum products and gas, receive prompt attention at the highest levels.

He called for the revival of bilateral security frameworks such as cross-border right-of-pursuit arrangements and advocated joint Nigeria–Niger operations and sustained inter-agency collaboration, expressing confidence that the outcomes of the meeting would be translated into concrete actions.