By Nigeria Opens Land and Air Borders with Republic of Niger, Lifts Sanctions
Ghazali Ibrahim
President Bola Tinubu has directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger, as well as the lifting of other sanctions against the country.
Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesperson confirmed this in a statement on Wednesday.
The directive, effective immediately, aligns with the decisions reached by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit held on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.
“This directive underscores Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to regional cooperation and diplomacy. By lifting these sanctions, we are reaffirming our support for the economic development and stability of our neighboring countries”, part of the statement reads.
At the summit, ECOWAS leaders collectively agreed to lift economic sanctions imposed on several West African nations, including the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. President Tinubu’s directive specifically targets the Republic of Niger, signaling a renewed commitment to fostering regional cooperation and stability.
In accordance with the President’s directive, the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger are to be lifted immediately:
Closure of land and air borders between Nigeria and Niger Republic, as well as the ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger Republic.
Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger, along with the freeze of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity, to 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.
However, President Tinubu has also approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea.
