Aware of the importance of the pipeline for the economy of Niger and subsidiarily that of Benin, the Beninese government has decided to completely lift its blockade on Nigerien oil.
During a press conference largely on Sunday 2 June 2024 relayed on social networks, Kemi Seba admitted to being misled by the intelligence services and the Niger Prime Minister. Few days ago, he announced that Benin, his home country, had recruited terrorists whom he was allegedly training to send to Niger. This assertion, which earned him a legal summons in Cotonou, was made in a context marked by the stiffening of the Niamey authorities against Benin..
Kemi Seba made his mea culpa the day after another press conference, that of the Prime Minister of the putschist regime. During this meeting with the media, he tried to justify why President Tiani did not receive an emissary from his Beninese counterpart, Patrice Talon. According to Mohamed Ali Zeine, General Tiani was concerned about security issues following the attack on a military camp by terrorists.
The two events betray the beginnings of a decline on the part of the Nigerien authorities. Indeed, since the July coup 2023, Niamey has always adopted an attitude of distrust towards Benin, which the putschists accuse of having closed the border at the request of the Economic Community of West African States. (CEDEDAO). Since, and despite the opening of the said border, the Nigerien regime maintained the roadblocks erected on its side, preventing exchanges, particularly those coming from Benin. The pleadings of President Patrice Talon did nothing. More is, military regime officials refuse to speak to Beninese authorities.
If the putschists begin to show signs of weakening, it is because Benin dismantles every day the arguments put forward by the Nigerien authorities for not opening the border. And once again to always prove its spirit of openness, Benin completely lifts its blockade and gives all authorizations to the Chinese company Wapco to load Nigerien oil from the Sèmè-Podji terminal.
As a reminder
Niger's oil production capacity is estimated at 90 000 barrels per day. According to the sharing system, Benin collects a transit fee of 0,50 dollar per barrel 45.000 dollars a day. Over a period of 1 month, what the Beninese economy will have to gain will be 1.350.000 dollars or 810 million CFA francs. The royalty that Benin receives is fixed while the price of a barrel fluctuates depending on the vagaries of the international market.. Currently this price is 80 dollars. So, now with the lifting of the blockade, the revenue will be 7.200.000 dollars or more than 129 billion francs per month. Niger is supposed to collect 20% of this financial windfall which amounts to nearly 26 billion for the economy of this country which nevertheless needs this money so much.
Writing