y ▁( in ▁Niger ), ▁either ▁by ▁road ▁or , ▁in ▁the ▁season ▁when ▁the ▁Niger ▁River ▁is ▁navig able , ▁by ▁river ▁ste amer , ▁are ▁important ▁for ▁the ▁movement ▁of ▁produce ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁Niger ▁via ▁Cot on ou , ▁Ben in ' s ▁one ▁port . ▁Until ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁the ▁port ▁was ▁serv iced ▁by ▁a ▁wh arf ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁a ▁new ▁deep water ▁port , ▁constructed ▁with ▁French ▁and ▁European ▁Development ▁Fund ▁assistance ▁and ▁capable ▁of ▁handling ▁ 1 ▁million ▁tons ▁ann ually , ▁was ▁opened . ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s , ▁the ▁port ▁was ▁expanded ▁to ▁handle ▁ 3 ▁million ▁tons ▁a ▁year . ▁ ▁Land locked ▁Niger ▁has ▁a ▁free ▁zone ▁in ▁the ▁port ▁area ▁of ▁Cot on ou . ▁Because ▁of ▁over c row ded ▁conditions ▁at ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Lag os , ▁Cot on ou ▁has ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁relief ▁channel ▁for ▁goods ▁dest ined ▁for ▁Niger ia . ▁It ▁also ▁serves ▁as ▁the ▁chief ▁port ▁for ▁Niger . ▁There ▁is ▁boat ▁traffic ▁on ▁the ▁l ago ons ▁between ▁Porto - N ovo ▁and ▁Lag os , ▁Niger ia , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁on ▁the ▁rivers . ▁ ▁Air ports ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁there ▁were ▁five ▁air ports ▁in ▁Ben in , ▁only ▁one ▁of ▁which ▁( as ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 5 ) ▁had ▁a ▁p aved