Niamey – In a move that could strain cross-border trade between Nigeria and Niger, the Directorate General of Customs in Niger has issued a directive mandating rigorous inspections of all goods entering from Nigeria, particularly miscellaneous items, citing security imperatives.
The instruction, signed by Colonel Mohamed Yacouba Siddo, Director General of Customs, requires that all such goods be unloaded and thoroughly examined at entry points before any transit or clearance procedures can proceed. Only miscellaneous goods backed by port-of-discharge documentation will be permitted unloading at their final destinations or during formal customs processing.
“I attach great importance to the strict implementation of this instruction. Any difficulty encountered must be reported to me without delay,” Colonel Siddo emphasized in the communique.
The directive, which surfaced on social media and was first reported by Radio Wadata, comes amid heightened regional tensions following the July 2023 military coup in Niger that led to ECOWAS sanctions and the eventual withdrawal of both Niger and Nigeria from the bloc’s purview. While no official response from Nigerian authorities has been issued as of Tuesday, December 9, 2025, the measure is likely to impact informal traders and formal exporters reliant on the porous Niger-Nigeria border, a key artery for agricultural produce, fuel smuggling, and consumer goods.
Niger and Nigeria share over 1,400 km of largely unsecured frontier, where illicit trade has long fueled economic activity but also insecurity, including arms trafficking and banditry. The new protocol aims to curb potential threats but risks exacerbating delays and costs for legitimate commerce in the Sahel region.
