In a significant move, President Bola Tinubu has directed the reopening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger, along with the immediate lifting of associated sanctions.

According to a statement from his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu has also greenlit the removal of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea.

Titled ‘Nigeria opens land and air borders with Republic of Niger, lifts other sanctions,’ the directive follows the recent decision by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government to lift economic and travel sanctions on Niger, Mali, and Guinea during an extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.

In line with the ECOWAS decision, President Tinubu’s directive includes the immediate lifting of the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger:

• Closure of land and air borders between Nigeria and Niger Republic, as well as ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger Republic.
• Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger, as well as a freeze of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to the Niger Republic.
• Freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks and freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger, state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks.
• Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD.
• Travel bans on government officials and their family members.

More details to follow shortly.