The responsibility now lies with our ministers to implement it. Benin and Nigeria are more than twins—we are the same people. Let us show the region that integration is possible,” President Patrice Talon said.
“If we cannot create wealth and opportunity, all our other values—democracy, liberty—cannot be sustained. Integration must be real. Integration must be delivered,” he added.
As youth of both countries who are the direct beneficiaries of such an historical agreement, it calls on us to get actively involved in the implementation of the agreement alongside the ministers involved.
In order to achieve this, we need to unlock Benin and Nigeria’s youth potential in the face of growing global pressures towards a strategic, inclusive, and sustainable bilateral integration.
Cross-country collaboration between young people of both countries is key at all levels notably in agrobusiness, tourism, IT, education, music, film industry, culture, fashion, sports, circular economy, etc.
Back in 2023, the Nigeria-based Chess In Slums founded by Tunde Onakoya the two consecutive Chess World Guinees Record holder donated 50 chess sets to the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Benin. The following year, 1,000 chess sets where shipped to Cotonou thanks to the role played by the team of Tunde Onakoya in backing the nomination of their brother Olusegun Vidjannagni of Benin Republic as The Ambassador of The Gift of Chess.
The tools are being used in demonstrating the power of chess, as a game of strategy and foresight for fostering bilateral integration by promoting intellectual exchange, cultural understanding, and collaborative problem-solving between students of both countries in Porto-Novo. The structured nature and universal appeal of chess transcends linguistic and cultural barriers, creating opportunities for dialogue and cooperation between individuals and communities from different regions.
The Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Benin, designed the BeninoART Meets NijART scheme earlier this year after the organisation was approached by a group of Nigerian students in Benin Republic on the occasion of the premiere of their film titled Adé Ègùn.
BeninoART Meets NijART aims at further fueling the creativity of the youth of Benin Republic by creating and sustaining opportunites whereby they meet up and collaborate with creative Nigerian youth.
GEN Benin is planning the Benin-Nigeria Youth Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Development Forum (Benin-Nigeria YIELD) as the signature event of our next Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) on 17-23rd November 2025 in Cotonou under the theme: Unlocking Benin and Nigeria’s youth economic and diplomatic potential in the face of growing global pressures towards a strategic, inclusive, and sustainable bilateral integration.
A series of events are planned including a chess tournament between both countries.