This strategic meeting between Nigeria and Benin Republic is geared towards establishing a permanent joint commission. The Commission is to promote socio-economic integration, encourage formal and legitimate trade as well as deepen cultural ties between the two countries. Addressing the joint commission, the Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Ezra Yakusak said the body due to its relevance to non-oil export, will get the full support of the agency. While lamenting the high level of informal trade between Nigeria and Benin the NEPC boss was optimistic that the commission if eventually established will facilitate and coordinate trade in the region adding that the informal trading pattern has been largely attributed to inadequate border control mechanism between the two countries. Leader of the delegation, former Nigerian ambassador to Benin Republic, Ambassador Oguntuase Kayode said the meeting was aimed at creating a synergy for export promotion between the two neighbouring countries. He said informal and unrecorded trade is huge between the countries which is why they are pushing for the establishment of the permanent joint commission with Advocacy that began since August 2021. The Federal Republic of Nigeria and Benin share 778 kilometers of land and maritime borders.
