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Nigeria's Closed Border Boosts Smuggling to Cameroon

Moki Edwin Kindzeka

   LIMBE, CAMEROON - Cameroonian authorities say smuggling from Nigeria is
   increasing, five months after Abuja banned land border trade to crack
   down on the illegal business.

   At the Limbe market in southwestern Cameroon, both local and Nigerian
   traders say their businesses are suffering with Abuja's ban. Traders
   say they regularly run short of supplies from both countries, leading
   to price increases of up to 15 percent.

   Nigerian Miracle Ademola, 35, sells dresses to Cameroon and buys rice
   to sell back home. But she said she can't afford to pay the high
   shipping costs to take the goods back and forth by boat.

   "It has drastically affected the economy of Nigeria and the economy of
   Cameroon," she said. "Smuggling things as it is now is actually not
   beneficial and we find it risky. We just look forward and hope for the
   borders to be opened any moment from now so businesses can go on as
   they used to."

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