For some 7 months, during which borders have been closed and sanctions applied, free trade and mobility between Niger and Benin have been seriously disrupted, affecting their respective economies.

Transit traffic to and from Niger is set to resume at the Port of Cotonou, following the lifting of ECOWAS sanctions last weekend. This should increase the overall flows handled on this platform, whose activities have slowed down since the closure of borders on July 30, 2023.

Although no figures are available to assess the trend in volumes over the last 7 months, the Beninese authorities have reported a decline in activity at the Cotton port, given the significant weight of Niger freight in its overall traffic.

According to available data, around a third of the nearly 12 million tonnes handled in the years prior to this crisis is transported to or from Niger. A return to normal operations, coupled with the launch of Nigerian oil exports via Cotonou, should therefore boost volumes.

However, this prospect could be hampered by the boycott of this port complex announced in December 2023 by one of Niger's main shippers' unions. Since the tensions began, Nigerien port operators (shippers, carriers, consignees, forwarding agents, etc.) have turned to the port of Lomé, which they claim charges lower transit fees.

However, there are some key factors that could weigh in Benin's favor, such as the more direct link offered by the Cotonou-Niamey corridor, with no detour via a neighboring country, whereas the Lomé-Niamey route requires passage via Burkina Faso or Benin.

This is a determining factor in the number of police and customs checks, which can also encourage racketeering and harassment on the roads. Similarly, the current security unrest in Burkina Faso is jeopardizing the safety of transport on routes that include passage through Burkinabe territory.

Henoc Dossa