Tinubu lifts sanctions against Niger Republic, Republic of Guinea

By Abiodun OBA

President Bola Tinubu has lifted sanctions against the Republic of Niger with immediate effect.

In a statement issued by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale on Wednesday, the President also directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the country.

Ngelale said this directive was in compliance with the decisions of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.

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

Ngelale said Tinubu had 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 and the 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.

Tinubu also directed those frozen assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks and frozen assets of the Republic of Niger, state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks be unfrozen immediately.

The president added that the suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD be lifted, while travel bans on government officials and their family members should also be lifted.

Tinubu has also approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea.