The National Assembly through its joint committee on Industry, Trade and Investment has decried the inability of government to address the issue of border closure in view of cross border banditry taking place in states sharing borders with Niger and Republic of Chad.
Lamentation on closed but porous borders came up during the 2025 budget defence session that the joint committee had with the Ministry of Industry , Trade and Investment.
First to comment on the issue of porous closed borders, was the Chairman Senate Committee on Industry, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadaunsi, PDP Osun East, who said it is better for the borders to be practically opened and not technically closed.
He said the exit of Niger Republic and Chad from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS with attendant opening of their borders to Nigerians are worsening the menace of insecurity across the affected states and by extension, compounding the Nation’s economic woes.
“Border closure is hampering economic fortunes of the country because rather than curb smuggling, it encourages it.
“For instance on rice production alone, the largest percentage of 4 million tonnes shortfall, is being smuggled into the country since local producers are only producing 3 million tonnes out of the expected consumption rate of 7 million tonnes” he said.
In her own contribution, another member of the committee, Fatima Talba representing Nangero/ Potiskum Federal Constituency of Yobe State in the House of Representatives, said as far as she and her constituents are concerned, the borders are opened and not closed.
“Going by free movement of people and even criminals across the borders, it is time for us to stop fooling ourselves with border closure” she said.
In his remarks on the border closure, Paul Kalejaiye representing Ajeromi / Ifelodun Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives, wondered the form of border closure policy Nigeria is implementing.
“We need to even ask the question on the border policy being implemented. Are all borders across the Nation closed or those closed are from a segment of the country” he asked.
The Committee chaired by Senator Suleiman Sadiq Umar, APC Kwara North, accordingly urged the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole who came for the budget defence session, to liaise with the Presidency on way out of the border closure .
Oduwole had earlier in her presentation to the committee, said the sum of N3.8 billion is earmarked for capital expenditure in the 2025 fiscal year, N4.65 billion for personnel cost, N1.45 billion for overhead and projected revenue of N2.4 billion.
But the committee, ordered the ministry to go and correct some errors observed in the documents submitted, particularly N59 billion erroneously written as payment for N50 billion project.
