NIGERIA-BENIN BORDER CLOSURE: ITS ECONOMIC IMPLICATION AND EFFECTS ON NIGERIA DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Smuggling is a natural outcome of the combination of economic, ethnic, and cultural connections transcending artificially- demarcated national borders with lack of coordination of trade policies across countries and weak state enforcement capabilities are likely exposed to all sorts of smuggling activities across borders. This paper seeks to examine the Nigeria-Benin border closure and its implications on Nigerian economic development. The paper employs rational choice crime theory. The study utilizes secondary data. The study revealed that smuggling of contraband goods, illegal arms and ammunition, illicit drugs, and petroleum products, all of which in turn poses serious threats to Nigeria's human security, financial security, food security, and health security. Nigeria-Benin Republic relations have had its ups and downs, but the seemingly unending illegal activities on the border between the two countries made Nigerian government unilaterally close the border against Benin Republic. The border closure is advantageous to Nigerian economy in many important ways, such that it will become possible for Nigeria government to take stock and regulate its economy. This paper posed some recommendations towards reducing smuggling activities on Nigeria-Benin border and strengthening the economy of the two countries. Which are Change in Economic Policy by Benin Republic: Benin Republic as a country should change its economic policy from an Centre pot economic policy (in which goods are primarily imported with the intention of re-exporting it mostly illegally to another country) to a more productive economic policy and Increase Nigeria's Anti-Corruption Efforts: There had been cases of financial corruption among anti-smuggling security agents in Nigeria in which anti¬-smuggling security agents were apprehended while collaborating with smugglers for financial gains. The Nigeria anti-corruption agencies like Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should be granted wider legal powers to investigate suspected corrupt Nigerians.