Border blockade paralyses Niger-Benin trade

Niger’s July 2023 coup was followed by an immediate closure of its border with Benin. Two years on, the blockade has calcified into a political standoff, choking trade and paralysing cross-border movement. As AFP reports, Niger’s junta accuses Benin of hosting French troops and training jihadists—claims Cotonou firmly denies. Despite repeated overtures, Niamey insists the border will stay shut until alleged foreign bases are removed.

The closure has disrupted a once-crucial trade corridor. Trucks now take perilous detours through jihadist-infested Burkina Faso, while river crossings continue informally. Oil exports to Benin’s Seme-Kpodji port resumed in late 2024, but uranium shipments remain suspended.

The economic fallout is significant. Nigerien hauliers warn of job losses and surging costs; Benin fears a security vacuum. Analysts caution that the blockade undermines regional stability. With Benin’s 2026 presidential election looming, hopes persist that a diplomatic thaw—and the reopening of borders—might follow.