Tinubu Blinks, Re-Opens Land, Air Borders, Lifts Sanctions Against Niger Republic

President Bola Tinubu has ordered that Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger be opened immediately, as well as other sanctions against the country lifted.

This directive is in accordance with the decisions made by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government during its extraordinary summit in Abuja on February 24, 2024.

The leaders of ECOWAS agreed to lift economic sanctions against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.

The President has ordered that the sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately:

(1) Closure of the land and air borders between Nigeria and the Niger Republic, as well as an ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger.

(2) The suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger, as well as the freezing of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to the Niger Republic.

(3) The Republic of Niger’s assets in ECOWAS Central Banks, as well as the Republic of Niger’s, state enterprises, and parastatals, in commercial banks, are frozen.

(4) Niger’s financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD, will be suspended.

(5) Travel restrictions for government officials and their family members.

President Tinubu has also agreed to lift financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Advisor to the President.

(Media & Publicity)

March 13, 2024.