Seme-Krake border will foster Nigeria-Benin interests – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said that the inauguration of the new Seme-Kraker joint border will foster the common interests of Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.

Buhari said this as he inaugurated the new Economic Community of West African States  Border Posts at Seme-Krake and Neope-Akanu in Badagry.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari said, ”As we all know, Nigeria and Benin share many things in common. Hence, the establishment of the Joint Border Post will certainly promote our brotherliness and emphasize our common interest.”

President Buhari described the project, aimed at enhancing the free movement of persons and goods in the region, as ”a symbol of integration that brings together the peoples of Nigeria and Benin.


”Indeed, the Seme-Krake joint border is one of the busiest boundary lines not only in West Africa but the whole continent, daily recording huge movement of persons, goods and services.

”Permit me therefore to congratulate my brother, President Patrice Talon of the Republic of Benin on the successful completion of this magnificent project.

“On the benefits of the joint border post, which sits on 17 hectares of land, the President noted that it would enhance trade facilitation by combining border clearance activities in a single location, increase cooperation and coordination of controls, in addition to fostering data and intelligence sharing between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

”The Border Post is strategically important and lies on the Lagos-Cotonou-Lome-Accra-Abidjan corridor, which accounts for about 70% of the entire transit traffic in the sub-region.

”I am aware that a Joint Committee with membership from Nigeria and Benin has been established for the coordination and management of this facility. I would like to call on the members of the committee to note the complex task ahead of them.

”The committee must ensure that border officials are sensitized on the mode of operation of the Joint Border Post concept which is a big departure from the traditional mode of operation. I call on the ECOWAS Commission to continue to provide the needed support to this Committee, ”he said.

Adesina added that President Buhari in his capacity as the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Buhari also thanked the EU for supporting two other joint borders at Malanville (between Benin/Niger) and Noepe-Akanu (between Ghana/Togo).