Nearly two years after Niger’s military coup and the subsequent closure of its border with Benin, tensions rooted in security concerns, sovereignty disputes, and lingering French influence have hardened into a protracted standoff—choking trade and freezing diplomatic relations between the neighboring West African states.
Benin, which vehemently denies allegations of hosting foreign forces accused by Niger of destabilizing the country, maintains it has repeatedly sought dialogue to ease the blockade. Yet, despite mounting economic hardship on both sides, these efforts have yet to yield progress.
“The real victims are the people of both nations,” said Ibrahim Abou Koura, a Nigerien transport operator based in Benin’s economic hub, Cotonou. He lamented the drastic decline in cross-border commerce, describing once-bustling transport yards now eerily empty.
General Abdourahamane Tiani of Niger has consistently accused Benin of sheltering French military bases allegedly training jihadists to undermine Niger’s stability.
In May, Tiani reaffirmed that the border “will remain closed,” insisting the conflict is not with Benin but with French forces allegedly operating from its soil.
The prolonged friction has severely disrupted movement and commerce. Abou Koura noted, “Buses are emptier, and fewer people are crossing.” Still, some trade endures through the Niger River—a natural border crossing that remains active despite the official closure.
This unfolding crisis starkly contrasts with other West African border dynamics, where neighboring countries often emphasize regional integration and trade facilitation through organizations like ECOWAS.
The Niger-Benin standoff underscores the complex interplay of local politics, foreign influence, and security challenges shaping the region’s fragile stability.
