Nigerian policy-makers have always responded to the issue of self-sustainability in local production by closing the borders, but the policy has only produced a few winners and many losers.
Economists describe this distinction through the lens of Pareto and Kaldor–Hicks efficiency. In the former, no one is made worse off; in the latter, some may lose but the overall gains are large enough that, in theory, winners could compensate for the losers.
Nigeria’s border closure fails both tests; it enriches a handful of manufacturers while leaving
