Lamentation on closed but porous borders came to the fore during 2025 budget defence session the joint committee had with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
First to lament 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 was worsening the menace of insecurity across the affected states and by extension, compounding the Nation’s economic woes.
“Border closure is hampering the economic fortunes of the country because rather than curb smuggling, it encourages it.
“For example on rice production alone, the largest percentage of 4million tons shortfall is being smuggled into the country since local producers are only producing 3million tons out the expected consumption rate of 7million tons”, he said.
In her own lamentation, another member of the committee, Hon Fatima Talba representing Nangero/Potiskum Federal Constituency of Yobe State in the House of Representatives said as far as she and her constituents were concerned, the borders were 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, Hon 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 the way out of the border closure.
Oduwole had earlier in her presentation to the committee said the sum of N3.8billion is earmarked for capital expenditure in the 2025 fiscal year, N4.65billion for personnel cost, N1.45billion for overhead and projected revenue of N2 4billion.
But the committee ordered her ministry to go and correct some errors observed in the documents submitted, particularly N59billion erroneously written as payment for N50billion project.
