Nigeria Customs Denies Tinubu’s Involvement in Reopening of Land Borders

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recently disavowed a viral video that claimed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had instructed an immediate reopening of all Nigerian land borders.

The spokesperson of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, confirmed to THEWILL via phone that Nigeria does not presently have any closed borders, and all the borders reopened months ago to allow exports and imports.

Indeed, the pandemic-induced closure of the nation’s land borders that began on August 20, 2019, following an ecological order that influenced security officials’ operations, meet the immediate need of checking smuggling activities and increasing revenue generation in the country.

Meanwhile, the reopening of Nigeria’s borders on December 16, 2020, after nearly four and a half months of closure, led to significant changes in the nation’s economy.

There were reports of reduced inflation rates, resumed trading activities across the continent, and a boom in the nation’s various economic sectors.

Furthermore, the reopening also facilitated Nigeria’s commitment to free trade across the continent and eventually strengthened the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) agreement, which became operational on January 1, 2021.

While critics debate the effectiveness of the border closure in reducing smuggling activities and state that the country may still be losing out on revenue due to widespread smuggling and criminal activity, the NCS reiterates its commitment to securing Nigeria’s borders and putting an end to any illicit activities along the nation’s border communities.

As Nigeria continues to navigate the consequences of the pandemic that profoundly impacted its economy, the political wheels that drive Nigeria’s government will undoubtedly continue to address the economic, political, and social issues that confront the nation.