Niger Republic opens is land border with Nigeria in Birnin-Konni just adjacent to Sokoto State

NIGER Republic has opened its land border at Birnin-Konni that links the country with Sokoto State in a sure sign that the recent frosty relationship between both nations brought about by a coup d'etat in Niamey last year is starting to thaw.

On July 26 last year, officers of the Nigerien presidential guard arrested President Mohammed Bazoum in the capital Niamey and declared him deposed. In response, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), met in Abuja and introduced sanctions against the regime, suspending it and freezing Niger Republic's assets.

As part of these sanctions, Nigeria has cut its electricity supply to the Nigerien Electricity Company, popularly known as Nigelec. Nigeria exports electricity to the republics of Benin and Niger under transaction service agreements, with Nigelec being supplied by Nigerian firm Mainstream Energy.

Nigeria exported about N23.13bn worth of electricity to some neighbouring countries in 2022 under the terms of a deal which prevents them from damning the River Niger. Negotiated in the 1960s by Nigeria's then prime minister Tafawa Balewa, he idea was to keep the volume of water in the River Niger high, so it could power Nigeria's hydro-electric power plant at Kainji.

In response, Niger Republic withdrew from Ecowas, along with Mali and Burkina Faso, who have also been the subject of sanctions due to the fact that they too are being governed by military regimes. However, over the last week, the two nations appear to be rescinding the restrictions as the Nigeria Customs Service opened the Illela land border and Niger has now reciprocated with the opening of the Birnin-Konni border.

Local Birnin-Konni resident Nuhu Samaila, said that the border was declared open at exactly 12 noon today. He applauded the decision of the leadership of the Niger Republic military junta, for giving a listening hearing to the yearnings of the people by ensuring the border is open.

Mr Samaila said: “It is a commendable effort, at least by the government, to have done the needful at last. It was our collective prayer that this border too should be reopened after the Nigeria side was declared open.

“I want to believe that this will definitely help a lot in the improvement of the economy of these two countries, as it will facilitate more trading activities between Nigeria and Niger Republic." Last week,  Nigeria restored the supply of electricity to Niger Republic and President Bola Tinubu ordered that all land and air borders be opened too.