The Republic of Niger has introduced new rules that prevent Nigerians from entering with the ECOWAS passport.
This decision follows Niger’s recent withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), alongside Mali and Burkina Faso.
Although Niger keeps its border open with Nigeria, it has started enforcing new immigration rules at important border points like Illela in Nigeria and Konni in Niger.
Cross-border traders and travelers are now facing major difficulties because Nigerien officials no longer accept the ECOWAS passport as a valid travel document.
In a phone interview on Tuesday evening with an immigration officer at the Jibia/Magama Border in Katsina State, the officer, who asked to remain anonymous since he wasn’t allowed to speak about the matter, confirmed the enforcement of the ban.
“They no longer accept Nigerians entering Niger Republic with the ECOWAS Travel Certificate (ETC) or ECOWAS passport as of this morning (Tuesday),” he stated.
The officer also noted that Nigerian immigration officials are not yet applying the same restrictions to Nigerien citizens and are waiting for further instructions from higher authorities before fully enforcing these measures.
The ECOWAS Travel Certificate (ETC) and ECOWAS passport are documents that let holders travel freely among ECOWAS member countries.
While there has been no official announcement from the Nigerien government, travelers affected by this situation are worried that it could get worse, impacting trade and travel across the border.
When reached on Monday, Joel Ahofodji, the Head of Communication at the ECOWAS Commission, mentioned that the regional organization was not aware of Niger Republic’s decision to block ECOWAS passport holders.
