Nigeria and the Republic of Benin have begun implementing a new economic cooperation agreement designed to boost bilateral trade and promote regional integration.

This follows a two-day high-level meeting between officials from both countries to finalize the framework for execution.

According to Dr. Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the agreement builds on commitments made at the West Africa Economic Summit held in Abuja in June 2025.

The economic pact encompasses key sectors including trade in services, customs procedures, trade facilitation, transport infrastructure, and private sector collaboration.

Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu described the agreement as aligned with the objectives of the Economic Community of West African States and the African Continental Free Trade Area, commending President Bola Tinubu’s leadership in convening the regional summit that laid the foundation for the initiative.

She further noted that Nigeria’s bilateral relationship with Benin has progressed from informal exchanges to more structured partnerships, even as both countries continue to address shared challenges such as smuggling and cross-border crimes.

“Our shared successes affirm a truth we must never lose sight of the fact that cooperation, not conflict; dialogue, not suspicion, remain our best tools for overcoming obstacles,” she said.

She emphasized the importance of harmonizing customs and trade procedures, removing bottlenecks, and promoting investments that strengthen local businesses in both countries.

The statement also disclosed that Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, presented the key resolutions from the bilateral meeting.

Technical working groups from both nations are now expected to engage further on sector-specific issues and submit their implementation reports in Abuja.

Also in attendance at the meeting were Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Bakari; Minister of Industry and Trade, Shadiya Assouman; Nigeria’s Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi; along with several senior officials from both governments.