President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic made a diplomatic visit to President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday evening.
Both leaders engaged in discussions to bolster trade relations between their nations, emphasizing the critical need for cooperation to drive economic growth in West Africa.
President Tinubu highlighted the necessity for synchronized efforts between Nigeria and Benin Republic, emphasizing their shared interests and likening the countries to conjoined twins.
Expressing support for Benin’s economic initiatives, Tinubu underlined the importance of common economic principles and priorities.
He lauded President Talon’s proactive approach and expressed readiness to foster prosperity through private sector collaboration.
President Talon sought President Tinubu’s support in enhancing trade ties ahead of the ECOWAS Summit, emphasizing the importance of stronger economic integration between Benin and Nigeria.
He outlined Benin’s national development plan focusing on deepening ties with Nigeria, particularly in trade, and stressed the need for implementing existing agreements to promote mutual growth.
Additionally, Talon proposed the formation of an inter-ministerial technical committee to facilitate cooperation across sectors and address bilateral issues like smuggling, aiming to protect interests while aligning their economies.
“Our investment programme must be revised to factor in all factors of the Nigerian economy. We seek to set up an inter-ministerial technical committee that will jointly prepare a draft document for our legislatures. I am ready to sign an executive order to appoint members of the council to advance mutually beneficial cooperation across sectors.
“There have been difficulties bilaterally on the issue of smuggling. We will work hard to coordinate and ensure that your interests are protected as we integrate our economies. I want us to make history together,” President Talon said.
