Regional Reforms: Nigeria, Benin Sign Borderless Pact

Nigeria and the Republic of Benin yesterday signed an agreement to deepen bilateral integration and serve as a model for broader regional cooperation within ECOWAS.

The signing ceremony witnessed by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and Benin Republic President Patrice Talon, occurred at the inaugural West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) in Abuja.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Nigeria’s minister of industry, trade and investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole and minister of state for foreign affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, signed the agreement alongside Benin’s minister of industry and trade, Shadiya Alimatou Assouman and minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Shegun Adjadi Bakari.

President Talon declared that the move signified a bold step toward real, actionable regional integration.

“President Tinubu and I have agreed on full integration between Benin and Nigeria. The responsibility now lies with our ministers to implement it. Benin and Nigeria are more than twins—we are the same people. Let us show the region that integration is possible,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, President Talon called for urgent reforms to rescue West Africa’s stalled regional integration, describing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as being in crisis.

“ECOWAS is a perfect example of regional integration. Unfortunately, our ECOWAS is in crisis right now,” he said.

He cited the West African Gas Pipeline which was designed to enhance regional energy cooperation, as an example of failure due to administrative bottlenecks.

“It is ridiculous. This failure of regional cooperation wastes resources and undermines integration,” he said.

As a result of these delays, Talon said Benin  had to source gas from Qatar via a floating storage and regasification unit.

On the West African Power Pool, another regional initiative, he said: “We invested heavily in this infrastructure. But it is not functioning as expected. Unless we act decisively, I’m not confident it ever will.”

Talon also addressed logistical obstacles along the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor, which unnecessary border checks and harassment have hampered.

“The road exists. But a businessman should be able to travel from Lagos to Abidjan in hours—not days—without facing harassment at multiple checkpoints. That is not integration,” the Beninois leader said.

He warned that poverty remained the region’s most dangerous destabilising force.

“Poverty is the main threat to democracy, security, and stability. If we do not address poverty through integration, our values will remain hollow,” he said.