Nigeria, Benin Step Up Talks to Resolve 770km Boundary Issues.
The Director General of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), Adamu Adaji, said this at the opening of a meeting of the Joint Standing Committee on the Nigeria-Benin International Boundary in Lagos, which began on October 28 and ends today, October 30.
Adaji said the process of resolving boundary disputes must be guided by applicable legal instruments, available evidence and technical procedures, while taking into account the legitimate interests of communities living along the boundary.
He noted that the two countries shared longstanding social, cultural and economic relationships across the border, which traverses six Nigerian states, stressing that effective boundary management required more than the technical demarcation of territory, a statement by the organisation’s spokesperson, Chinwe Udouwem, said.
“The management and resolution of boundary issues must be guided by applicable legal instruments, available evidence and technical procedures, while also taking into account the legitimate interests of border communities,” he said. The NBC director general called for adequate sensitisation and engagement of affected communities as the demarcation process progressed, emphasising that their involvement was necessary to sustain peaceful coexistence and cooperation. He explained that the current meeting built on deliberations at previous sessions held in Abuja in 2022 and Cotonou in 2024, and recommendations from a meeting of the Joint Technical Team held in Kétou, Benin Republic, from June 2 to 8, 2026. The technical discussions followed field completion exercises conducted by the two countries along the Illo-Borgu axis.
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