THE EFFECTS OF NIGERIA BORDER CLOSURE ON REGIONAL TRADE IN WEST AFRICA

The study examined the effects of Nigeria’s border closure on regional trade within West Africa between 2019 and 2022. The study was guided by the following objectives: to examine the causes of border closure in Nigeria from 2019 to 2022, to examine regional trade in West Africa from 2019 to 2022, and to examine the effects of Nigeria’s border closure on regional trade in West Africa within the same period. The study adopted a qualitative research design, relying on secondary data obtained from scholarly articles, government reports, newspapers, trade bulletins, and ECOWAS publications. The study was anchored on the Economic Integration Theory, which emphasizes the removal of trade barriers and increased interdependence among states to promote economic development and stability. The findings revealed that the major causes of the border closure included the government’s intention to curb rampant smuggling of goods such as rice and petroleum products, protect local agriculture and manufacturing industries, reduce the influx of contraband, and address security challenges arising from porous borders. The study also found that regional trade was significantly disrupted, with formal trade declining by approximately 12%, while informal trade persisted through unofficial and riskier routes, undermining the goals of economic integration under ECOWAS protocols. Additionally, the study indicated that the closure led to increased prices of food and essential commodities in Nigeria and neighboring states, loss of income for small-scale traders and border communities, deterioration of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and countries such as Benin and Niger, and weakening of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, thereby exposing the conflict between national protectionist measures and regional trade cooperation principles. Based on these findings, the study recommended strengthening regional dialogue and collaboration among ECOWAS member states, modernizing border management systems, improving customs cooperation, promoting inclusive trade policies, and ensuring that national security measures align with regional economic integration objectives to avoid similar disruptions in the future.