Bisiriyu Lasisi Fanu (ANLCA Chairman, Seme Chapter)
It is a nice one. Some of the borders have been opened since 2020 and activities have been going on there. Opening more of it will encourage competition. Now that the borders are opened, the people living at the border areas don’t need to hide through the bush with their vehicles to enter Nigeria any longer. They will pass through the border having easy access in and out. This was not there before when the border was closed. Now that the borders are open, the easy access is there. It also gives room for different options where importers can decide where to import through.
Babatunde Mukaila (National Secretary, ANLCA)
The Federal Government’s move to open additional four land borders is a welcome development. Hopefully, the Nigeria Customs Service should be up and doing professionally to guarantee national security and effective commercial activities.
Simeon Nwonu (Deputy National President, NAGAFF)
I see the whole thing from the point of politics. People in government are only interested in what they consider beneficial to them. There are some crazy feelings that the opening of the borders at this point in time after about two years is ominous. That is why you don’t see people happy and jumping here and there, because the borders have been reopened, because they see it as something that has been politically-motivated. Instead of being happy, a lot of people are apprehensive that more external people will begin to come into Nigeria unchecked which will pose danger to Nigerians and the Nigerian community at large.
Francis Omotoso (Registrar, NAGAFF Academy)
I am happy that the government has seen the need to open the border now. That is another avenue for the succor of citizens in the country. Some are making their livelihood through the activities at the border. Those are the major routes of some importers in bringing and exporting goods out of Nigeria. Reopening the borders will be another lifeline for some citizens. But then, there must be good security tight-up looking at the fact that we have just about eight months to the general elections. There should also be a proper check against the smuggling of prohibited consignments or items into the country. The reopening of the borders is a welcome idea.
Frank Obiekezie (National Secretary, AREFFN)
An average freight forwarder and international trade facilitator will be happy that the borders are open. I should be happy. No member of my profession should be against it. This is because when you close the borders, you have interfered and tampered with international trade and ECOWAS free trade policy. It also, by extension affects our members. We are happy the borders have been reopened.
Rev. Alex Nwokedi (National Financial Secretary, AREFFN)
Every person that loves growth and progress should be happy that the borders are re-opened. If the borders are not opened in Nigeria, that means the country will not be part of some international and African commitments. For example, Nigeria is a signatory to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and it closed its borders. So what is the essence of the trades? Trades with other countries cannot be so effective if the borders are closed.
Clinton Okoro (APFFLON PRO, Tin Can Chapter)
I am happy, because closing the borders does not really help matters. To me, it is like giving room for smuggling. The major challenge we faced was that the borders were closed and the ease of business at the ports was not really encouraging. If you close the borders and you don’t encourage the ports that are in your country to facilitate trade, then there is no need to close the borders. I am happy the borders are now open. If you cannot import through the ports because of the high charges, then importing through the borders will be better.
Festus Ukwu (Secretary General, National Council)
It is a very good development. Having closed the border for the past two years, a lot of people have been thrown into unemployment and it has also crippled the activities going on there. People working at the borders are feeding their families from there, thereby making the economy very buoyant at their end. Closing the borders was not a good one. We are happy that the government finally took the wise counsel to re-open the borders and we hope that economic activities will resume in earnest and everything will come back to normal. It is a good development and we are happy about it.
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