Niger's military leaders, who broke off ties with traditional ally France, closed the border with Benin after accusing the country of harbouring "French bases" bent on destabilising Niger.

Junta chief Abdourahamane Tiani greeted Benin President Romuald Wadagni, who took over on May 24, Tele Sahel showed in its live coverage.

The two leaders are expected to discuss relaunching security cooperation between the countries, which are both battling jihadist violence.

The visit "is part of the active neighbourhood diplomacy that President Wadagni intends to pursue with all the states bordering Benin", the Beninese presidency said in a statement.

In an initial sign of improving relations, Niger's Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine had attended Wadagni's inauguration in Cotonou where he spoke of "a new path".

Late on Monday, Niger state TV had broadcast reports praising "the age-old relations" between the "brotherly peoples of Niger and Benin" as well as a "desire to ease regional diplomatic tensions".

Main roads in Niamey on Tuesday were decorated with flags of the two countries and hundreds of Beninese gathered to greet the presidential convoy.

- 'Ease tensions' -

Niger is Wadagni's second foreign trip after he visited Nigeria on Monday.

Wadagni, the former finance minister and chosen successor of ex-president Patrice Talon, won the election with 94 percent of the vote.

A few days after his victory, Nigerien Interior Minister Mohamed Toumba said he was waiting for "goodwill gestures" from the new president, "for Benin to come out and say that it has nothing to do with France's interests, that Benin is not facilitating France's presence on its territory in order to attack its neighbours".

Niger regularly accuses Benin of harbouring French military bases which it says are training jihadists.

Talon was even named by Tiani as one of the "sponsors" of jihadists who attacked Niamey airport in January.

Benin and Paris have consistently denied the accusations.

In recent years, Benin's north that borders Niger has been plagued by increasingly deadly jihadist violence.

"This visit was necessary to ease tensions in this unfortunate situation that benefits neither country. This visit must be the beginning of a long-lasting understanding," a Niamey resident said.

Niger and Benin share economic interests: the port of Seme-Kpodji in Cotonou is the easiest route for bringing supplies in to Niamey and for the export of its raw materials.

According to Nigerien official figures, 80 percent of Niger's freight passed through this route before the dispute.

A huge pipeline that exports Nigerien oil via Benin has remained in operation.

But the only bridge linking the two countries, separated by the Niger River, remains closed, with heavy security measures, according to local residents.

Wadagni travels on to Burkina Faso later in the day, a close ally of Niger that is also ruled by a junta.