Tensions escalate between African neighbors over oil blockade

Benin has asked Niger to reopen its land borders and normalize relations in exchange for fuel shipments through Cotonou ports
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Benin says it will only allow fuel shipments from Niger through its ports after the landlocked state normalizes relations

Niger’s military government has accused Benin of violating bilateral trade agreements by blocking crude oil exports from the landlocked country through its ports.

Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine made the statement at a news conference on Saturday, after Beninese authorities announced last week they were barring Niamey from using the port of Seme Kpodji, located 30km south of Benin’s economic capital, Cotonou.

Relations between the two West African neighbors have been strained since Nigerien soldiers deposed President Mohamed Bazoum in a coup last July.

Niamey’s new leadership terminated a military cooperation agreement with the Beninese government in September, accusing it of supporting a cross-border invasion that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had planned with the backing of France to reverse the coup.

Benin also enforced ECOWAS sanctions, including border closures against Niger, leaving thousands of truckloads of goods, including food and medical supplies, stranded at its borders. However, in December, the autonomous port lifted the restrictions that had prevented imported goods from transiting through to landlocked Niger.

Cotonou reopened its border with Niger after ECOWAS removed the punitive measures in February, following Niamey’s joint announcement with the military rulers in Burkina Faso and Mali of their withdrawal from the regional bloc due to “inhumane sanctions.” 

Last week, Beninese President Patrice Talon, who had previously called for relations between his country and Niger to be “quickly” restored, demanded that Nigerien authorities fully reopen their land border if they want to export fuel through Benin’s ports.

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The move is “preventing Nigerien crude from reaching the international market,” according to Niger’s prime minister, and is “a serious violation” of Benin’s commitment.

Niger relies on Benin for crude oil shipments, and the blockade is said to jeopardize the country’s plans to begin exporting the product to China under a $400 million commodity-backed agreement with the China National Petroleum Corporation.

The former French colony borrowed funds from Beijing at a 7% interest rate, according to Bloomberg, and intends to repay the debt by shipping oil to Asia for 12 months.

Cotonou has insisted that it will only lift the blockade once Niamey reopens its border to goods from Benin, despite Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine’s claims that the crossing has remained closed for “security reasons.”