Pressure tightens on Nigeria’s foreign trade as Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso exit ECOWAS

…Nigerians risk a further hike in price of rice, oil, millet, others

By Moses Adeniyi

Nigeria’s foreign trade value may further suffer within the West African region particularly, with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, as the three military regimes of the nations announced their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The decision may further worsen Nigeria’s network of trade to other connecting nations with a worsening of trade relations with the three.

The leaders of the three Sahel nations on Sunday issued a statement saying it was a “sovereign decision” to leave the ECOWAS “without delay.”

Struggling with jihadist violence and poverty, the regimes have had tense ties with ECOWAS since coups took place in Niger last July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.

All three were suspended from ECOWAS, with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions.

They have hardened their positions in recent months and joined forces in an “Alliance of Sahel States.”

A French military withdrawal from the Sahel — the region along the Sahara desert across Africa — has heightened concerns over the conflicts spreading southward to the Gulf of Guinea states Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast.

The Prime minister appointed by Niger’s military regime on Thursday blasted ECOWAS for “bad faith” after the bloc largely shunned a planned meeting in Niamey.

Niger had hoped for an opportunity to talk through differences with fellow states of ECOWAS, which has cold-shouldered Niamey, imposing heavy economic and financial sanctions following the military coup that overthrew elected president Mohamed Bazoum.

The ECOWAS had previously slammed sanctions on Niger and ordered its standby force to restore constitutional order in the West African nation; a move that had been widely rejected, especially in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government had on August 4th, 2023 closed all its land borders with Niger as part of sanctions against the country over the military coup that took place  on July 26.

Since the border closure enforced against Niger Republic following the country’s junta’s refusal to restore ousted President Muhammed Bazoum to office, prices of food items, such as rice, millet, oil and other food staples that come into Nigeria through Niger border have recorded a hike in prices.

Other commodities as clothes and beverages have equally recorded a soaring hike, a development that Nigerian border communities have lamented.

Border communities such as Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State, which shares border with Konni Local Government Area in Taohoua State of Niger Republic, Jibia in Katsina State, Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State, among others, have lamented hike in price of rice from N30,000 per 50kg bag, to above N50,000 since the border closure, even as other food staples most of which  were from Niger have recorded similar hike.

Also, Nigerian traders have lamented the plummeting of trade transactions as export of Nigerian made products, such as flour, cement, agricultural products, both perishable and non-perishable, house furniture, building materials,  to Niger which is a strategic route to Mali, Mauritania, and other trade partners with Nigeria, have suffered.

Late last year, Nigerian traders under the platform of Arewa Economic Forum had lamented that its members lost about N13 billion weekly to closure of the borders with Niger.

They had called on the Federal Government to avoid punishing innocent Nigerians in a bid to sanction the military junta in Niger.

Seven northern Nigeria states, including Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina Jigawa, Yobe and Borno share a 1,608 kilometres long border with five regions in the Niger Republic.

Chairman of Arewa Economic Forum, Alhaji Ibrahim Danda-Kate, had said Nigerian authorities should be mindful of the impact any closure of the border with Niger will create for Nigeria and other neighbouring nations.

He had noted Niger is a trade route to Mauritania, Mali and other trade partners with Nigeria.

Danda-Kate also said, “the financial loss is about N13bn per week. Any disruption in the lives of those people will have a devastating effect on Nigeria and the rate of refugees more than what Nigeria currently has. We are not prepared enough to take in more refugees from Niger.”

With the pulling out of  Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso from ECOWAS, Nigeria’s trade within the West African region is bound to suffer as Nigerians risk a soaring hike in prices of food items and commodities.