After being shuttered in the wake of the July 26 coup d’état and subsequent ECOWAS sanctions, Niger Republic has announced the reopening of its borders with Nigeria in the regions of Diffa, Tahoua, Maradi, and Dosso.
In a radio message disseminated via social media on Thursday, the Nigerien Ministry of Interior instructed the governors of these border regions to authorise the reopening precisely at 12:00 midnight.
Additionally, the ministry mandated the governors to bolster security measures and controls along the 1,500-kilometer border.
While Nigeria had reopened its border weeks ago following the lifting of ECOWAS sanctions during a summit in Abuja, Niger had delayed reciprocating the gesture.
However, the uranium-rich nation’s border with its neighbour Benin remains closed on the Niger side, despite swift implementation of the ECOWAS directive by Beninese authorities.
Niger’s transitional authorities had previously cited security concerns as the rationale for not reopening the border with their southern neighbours.
