The federal government has allowed Dangote Cement to resume exports across its land borders despite the closure of all land borders for over one year.
The federal government has allowed Dangote Cement to resume exports across its land borders despite the closure of all land borders for over one year.
The move has, however, raised hopes that the borders may be opening up trade with neighbouring countries.
According to Michel Pucheros, the chief executive officer, President Muhammadu Buhari gave his authorisation for Dangote Cement, Africa’s biggest producer to export cement to Niger and Togo in the third quarter for the first time in ten months.
The exemption to Dangote Cement is seen as a softening of the government’s position on a border closure that started in August last year, and could open the way for other bushinesses to fully resume exports across the country’s land barriers.
Buhari closed borders with neighbouring countries including Benin and Niger to curb smuggling and boost local production.
Although the blockade encouraged the consumption of locally grown produce such as rice, it hurt factories across West Africa, which rely on Nigeria’s market of 200 million people.
Bloomberg
