Nigeria will partially close its border with Benin to stop the illegal smuggling of rice and other goods into the country, news agency AFP reports citing a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The statement did not say when the border will be reopened or what the government means by "partial closure", AFP adds.

The smuggling is seen as a threat to the country's aim to become self-sufficient in food production.

Since 2015 rice production has been increasing after a few policy changes.

Among those were subsidies and loans for farmers and a ban on foreign exchange to import dozens of items, including rice.