By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The decision by the Nigerian government which allows only Dangote access to export and import items across the borders of Nigeria have attracted wide reactions from Nigerians
Recall that 10 months ago, the Nigerian government closed borders with her neighboring countries including Benin and Niger to curb smuggling and boost local production.
However, the Buhari administration has only authorised Africa’s biggest producer, Dangote to export cement to Niger and Togo in the third quarter for the first time in ten months.
But reacting to the development via his Twitter handle, a well known banker and founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Atedo Peterside posited that such a move is biased, adding that it is why some Nigerians argue that the Nigerian economy is rigged in favour of a handful of well-connected persons.
”Allowing legitimate exporters and importers to move their goods across the border should be a no-brainer. Why refuse everybody else and allow only one company (Dangote)? This is why some of us argue that the Nigerian economy is rigged in favour of a handful of well-connected persons” Peterside twitted
Also reacting to the special concession by Nigerian government to only Dangote to export cement across Nigeria borders, the former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode in his twitter handle wrote;
“During the Covid19 lockdown Dangote trucks were allowed to drive through Ogun state but everyone else was stopped.
“Today Dangote trucks are allowed to go through our land borders but everyone else is stopped.
“Was Nigeria created for Dangote or was Dangote created for Nigeria”? he asked.