President Bola Tinubu has issued a directive to reopen Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger.
This decision also includes the lifting of various sanctions against Niger, effective immediately.
The directive was announced in a statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, entitled ‘Nigeria Opens Land and Air Borders with Republic of Niger, Lifts Other Sanctions.’
Tinubu’s decision closely follows the recent extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.
During the summit, ECOWAS leaders collectively agreed to lift economic and travel sanctions on Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
As a result, President Tinubu has directed the immediate lifting of several sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger, including the closure of land and air borders, the ECOWAS no-fly zone on commercial flights to and from Niger, and suspension of commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger.
Furthermore, assets freezes of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks and commercial banks, suspension from financial assistance and transactions with financial institutions like EBID and BOAD, as well as travel bans on government officials and their families, have been lifted.