Nigeria Government Gives ECOWAS Conditions For Re-Opening Border

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Godfrey Onyema has said that Nigeria’s borders will remain closed until goods coming into the country from Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) states have 30% local inputs.

Onyema disclosed this on Monday at the end of the Inter-Ministerial Committee meeting on the Borders closure held at the ministry.

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As part of the conditions set for the ECOWAS countries clamouring for the re-opening of the land borders, he added that the federal government agreed that goods imported for Nigeria market must be escorted from the port of member states directly to the borders.

Onyema also clarified that the country will no longer put up with repackaging of imported goods adding that ECOWAS countries must adhere to these rules.

The Nigeria Customs Service had on Sunday said that President Muhammadu Buhari had extended the end of the first phase of the border operation to  January 31, 2020.

Recall that the president had ordered a complete closure of the border three months after signing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) and banned the movement of goods in and out of the country.

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This move has however in the past months generated reactions within the international communities and neighbouring countries as they have constantly pleaded with the government to open up the border due to the spill-over effects on their economies.

But the Federal government have continuously maintained that the closure is a measure to curtail the rate of smuggled goods from neighbouring countries.

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