President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has lifted all economic sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger and Guinea including reopening of air and land borders with the neighbouring country.

President Tinubu made this known on Wednesday in a press release signed by his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale.

President Tinubu had imposed economic sanctions on the Republic of Niger and Guinea as a protest against military coups in the countries.

The presidential statement reads in quote: “President Bola Tinubu has directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger and the lifting of other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.

This directive is 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.

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

(1) 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.

(2) 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.

(3) Freeze 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.

(4) Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD.

(5) Travel bans on government officials and their family members.

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

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr Dayo Mobereola to serve as the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for a renewable term of four years.

The presidential Press release made available by Ajuri Ngelale indicated that “the appointment follows the exit of Mr Bashir Jamoh, whose tenure recently expired.

Dr Mobereola holds a Ph.D, and an M.Sc in Transport Economics from the University of Wales, United Kingdom. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport, England, and a fellow of the same institute in Nigeria.

He was the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) from 2003 to 2015 and was also the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos State from 2015 to 2016.

In the private sector, he was Deputy Managing Director and Project Development Director at AFM Consulting Plc, London. He was also Senior Economist at British Petroleum Shipping Limited, London.

The President expects the new Director-General to bring his vast experience to bear in his new role and to achieve the mandate of NIMASA in providing world-leading standards of maritime safety administration, maritime labour regulation, marine pollution prevention and control, search and rescue, cabotage enforcement, shipping development and ship registration, in accordance with the policies and programmes of the Renewed Hope Agenda for the sector as ably guided by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, H.E. Adegboyega Oyetola”.

In another development, President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday received the Special Envoy of the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, at the State House, Abuja, and “reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to enhancing maritime security and safety in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Special Presidential Envoy and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simeon Oyono Esono Angue, had conveyed a message from President Mbasogo requesting a state visit by President Tinubu, emphasizing the need to revitalize the Nigeria-Equatorial Guinea Joint Commission.

He also emphasized the importance of fostering greater cooperation in various sectors, including oil and gas, and trade.

Responding, President Tinubu reaffirmed the longstanding bilateral ties between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, describing the relations as strong and brotherly.

He recalled his previous meeting with President Mbasogo, during which they discussed strategies for enhancing economic relations, particularly in the context of ocean and marine economy, and collaborating to address the challenges posed by climate change.

President Tinubu expressed confidence that the formal meetings between the two nations would lead to further strengthening of their relationship.

“Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea are brotherly nations, and we enjoy very longstanding mutual relations. I am sure when next we meet formally; the relationship between our countries will grow from strength to strength,” the President said.

Also, President Bola Tinubu joined the Muslim faithful at the State House mosque for the Ramadan Tafsir (translation of the Holy Qur’an) on Tuesday, appealing to Nigerians to pray for peace and stability in the country.

“Declaring open the annual Tafsir, President Tinubu advised the Muslim faithful to demonstrate kindness to one another and their neighbours while also supporting the less privileged in society.

”We thank Almighty Allah for sparing us to see another holy month of Ramadan. We thank Allah for sparing us through the elections and giving us the opportunity to be Nigerians.

”Yes, things are tough, but Allah has ordained us to make sacrifices, to discipline ourselves, help others, and be kind to ourselves.

”May Almighty God, that gave us this opportunity, strengthen our resolve; help us change our country, and extend our love to our neighbours.

”We face challenges of kidnapping, banditry, and others. May Allah show mercy on all of us, the dead, and accept our good deeds.

”May Almighty Allah give us strength and good life to see the month of Ramadan through and to continue in good faith to worship him. I advise all of us to continue to pray for our country,” the President said.

President Tinubu told the Ulamas that God has given them the wisdom, knowledge, and the heart to teach others, emphasizing the importance of teaching forgiveness, patience, and endurance to the faithful, as well as sharing their blessings with others.

”It is in our hearts to make sacrifices and share whatever little we have with our brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble enough. The sacrifice that this period teaches us is enough.

”May Almighty Allah grant us the privilege and the strength; not the strength of hunger but the strength of character and attitude to love our country and make Nigeria great. As-Salaam-Alaikum,” the President prayed”, the presidential spokesperson stated in the press release.