Economy
Nigeria/Niger Border Closure, N13 Bn Lost Weekly
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Nigeria/Niger Border Closure, N13 Bn Lost Weekly
By Haruna Yusuf
The Association of Freight Forwarding Practitioners of Nigeria (AFFPON) has said at least N13 billion is lost weekly as a result of the border closure by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The president, AFFPON, Miftahu Ya’u, made this known while addressing newsmen at the freight forwarders and importers joint stakeholders’ forum where they appealed to the federal government for the opening of the Lolo border in Kebbi State, linking Nigeria and Benin Republic.
He said, “The situation at the Lolo border is a very sad one. Our findings reveal that truck drivers are sleeping on bare floor with some exposed to attacks by snakes and others falling sick due to the unfavourable conditions they find themselves in.
“The closure of the border also has a negative impact on the freight forwarding and import and export sub-sectors, causing delays, increased costs and disruptions to trade activities.
“The Arewa Economic Forum revealed that the northern Nigerian businessmen from the affected states are losing an estimated sum of N13 billion weekly to the border closure to trade, farms and market shutdown.”
