Relationship dossier
Benin
Niger
Relationship assessment
Economic interdependence strained by border and pipeline disputes after Niger’s 2023 coup
Benin toward Niger
-35Benin joined regional sanctions after Niger’s 2023 coup and restricted cross-border transit. It later enabled Niger’s crude exports through the Niger–Benin pipeline and Beninese port infrastructure, but pipeline operations became entangled in disputes over border access and Niger’s treatment of Beninese officials.
Niger toward Benin
-40Niger closed its border with Benin after the 2023 coup and accused Benin of supporting hostile foreign activity. Niger also restricted access for Beninese officials connected with the oil pipeline, complicating exports through Benin despite the economic value of the arrangement.
Overall relationship
-35The relationship has substantial practical interdependence, especially through transit and the oil pipeline, but post-coup border restrictions and mutual political accusations have undermined cooperation. These recurring disputes weigh heavily on an otherwise economically connected bilateral relationship.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Benin and Niger have longstanding cross-border and economic links, including the Niger–Benin oil pipeline and Niger’s use of Benin’s port for exports. Relations deteriorated sharply after Niger’s 2023 coup: border restrictions and disputes over pipeline operations and access to the port disrupted cooperation. The relationship combines practical economic interdependence with significant recent political and security tensions.
Areas of tension
- Closure and reopening of the land border after Niger’s 2023 coup
- Niger’s accusations that Benin facilitates hostile foreign activity
- Access for Beninese officials at Niger–Benin pipeline facilities
- Transit and crude-oil exports through Benin amid border disputes
Key developments
Niger’s 2023 coup triggered regional sanctions and border restrictions that strained relations with Benin.
Niger began exporting crude through the Niger–Benin pipeline and Benin’s port infrastructure, while disputes over border access and pipeline operations disrupted cooperation.
Major uncertainties
- The extent to which border and transit cooperation has normalized is unclear.
- The implementation and durability of cooperation over the Niger–Benin oil pipeline remain uncertain.