CONTEMPORARY DYNAMICS IN BORDER MANAGEMENT: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

In spite of increased resources and manpower especially on our national borders, it has come to scholarly concern to what extent border governance is implemented in Nigeria, as much effort and increased funding were made. Border management is one of the most vital security and governance issues facing today’s states, with the borders serving not only as a territorial marking but also as a strategic position of national security, immigration control, economic regulation, and transnational cooperation in the international system. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and a regional power within West Africa. The country shares its land borders with Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, with which it shares significant land boundaries, in addition toits many sea borders, providing the state with a challenging border control management issue. People trafficking, arms trafficking, human smuggling, illegal migration, terrorism and insurgencies are some of the of transnational crimes witnessed along Nigeria’s borders.  This paper examines the present border control management in Nigeria, it analyses emerging security threats affecting border management, the effectiveness of the government's strategies in the implementation of border control and the effects border management practices have on national security and socio economic development. The paper is grounded on the securitisation theory by Buzan. Using qualitative method on secondary sources collected from academic journal, books, government reports and other relevant international organisational publications.Content method was adopted in the analysis of data, the results suggest that poor border control management is aggravated by permeable borders, institutional non-cooperation, technology deficiency, corrupt practice and regional security challenges within the states. It also points to the fact that, though, closing of borders, establishment of border control management frames and use of surveillance technologies have registered a few success, much more challenges exist, to counter these threats the study suggest border patrol should employ the use of most sophisticated surveillance technologies as well as improving interagency co-operations between security outfits in Nigeria as well as enhanced collaboration between ECOWAS member states. It concludes that, the effective and efficient management of borders is urgently needed in Nigeria in order for more progress to be registered in the realm of national security and economic growth, thereby contributing to the understanding of Nigeria's border governance. The present study contributes to literature by providing a comprehensive analysis that covers security, economic, institutional,  technological and migration aspects of border management under a singular perspective.