Nigerian Government Reopens Borders

The Nigerian government on Wednesday announced the reopening of closed borders in the country.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed disclosed the government’s decision on Wednesday after week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

In August 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari announced the closure of the border to prevent illegal importation of drugs and firearms and agricultural products into the country.

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One year after the closure, with an economic recession biting hard, the government has announced the reopening of four borders immediately. The rest of the borders will be reopened on the 31st of December.

The borders to be reopened include the popular Seme border in Southwest Nigeria, Illela in Sokoto State, northwest of the country, Maitagari in the northwest and Mfun in Southern Nigeria.

Economic analysts had advised the Nigerian government to reopen the borders to boost importation and local remittances.

Author

  • Olayide Oluwafunmilayo Soaga is a Nigerian journalist with four years of professional experience. She reports on health, gender, education and development, with a focus on impact-driven storytelling.

    She was runner-up for the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) Best Solutions Journalism Award in West Africa in 2024 and a finalist for the 2025 West Africa Media Excellence Awards.

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