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 with immediate effect.

The latest directive, according to a statement issued yesterday, by presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, was in compliance with the decisions of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its last extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.

ECOWAS leaders had at the Summit agreed to lift economic sanctions against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. Owing to this, the President directed that the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately: “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 freeze of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to Niger Republic. “Freezing 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”.