LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the reopening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger.
This directive also includes the lifting of various sanctions against Niger, as well as the Republic of Guinea.
According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu’s decision comes in the wake of the recent extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on February 24, 2024, where economic and travel sanctions on Niger, Mali, and Guinea were lifted.
The ECOWAS leaders’ consensus led to the lifting of economic sanctions against several countries, including the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
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As part of the directive, President Tinubu has instructed 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 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, including utility services and electricity to the Niger Republic.
- Freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks, as well as 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.
“This move signifies a positive step towards fostering diplomatic relations and regional cooperation among ECOWAS member states,” it stated.