Niger Republic Bans Nigerians Holding ECOWAS Passports

The Republic of Niger has begun enforcing restrictions on Nigerians traveling with the ECOWAS passport, denying entry to those without a valid international passport.

This move comes after Niger’s recent withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), alongside Mali and Burkina Faso.

Despite keeping its border with Nigeria open, Nigerien authorities have introduced new immigration measures at crossings such as Illela (Nigeria) and Konni (Niger). As a result, cross-border traders and commuters now face difficulties, as the ECOWAS passport is no longer recognized as a valid form of identification.

Alhaji Mansur Abdullah, a trader who frequently travels between the two countries, confirmed the development.

He said, “I believe there is a move to abolish the ECOWAS passport as a means of traveling here; they have started harassing us if we are entering the country.

“Some of our people are being turned back home. We learnt that there is a new passport being issued now to everyone coming to Niger Republic to replace the old ECOWAS passport.

“Some of our people are getting scared of the aftermath of all these issues, which have started to affect our business and trading activities”

According to a source in Taiwan, a state in the Niger Republic, border officials have begun turning back individuals who rely solely on the ECOWAS passport for entry.

“Some of our people have already been sent home. The authorities insist on their own national passport, making it difficult for traders and travelers,” he explained.

Abubakar Isa, a commercial driver on the Illela-Konni route, alleged that security officials in Niger have started exploiting the situation to extort travelers.

“They demand between 5,000 to 10,000 CFA before allowing those with an ECOWAS passport to pass. If you can’t produce Niger’s new identification document, they take you to their office and pressure you to pay a bribe..

“Once they stop either the vehicle or motorcycle at their border, they take you to their office and make the demand for the passport, which they know we don’t have, they then collect money as bribe before you can be allow to go, “ he added.

A trader in Illela, Alhaji Nuhu Abubakar, confirmed that Niger’s withdrawal from ECOWAS has not had any immediate impact on trade or movement across the border.

He said, “We have continued our normal activities as usual, and there is no sign of an impending closure.

“The border remains open on both the Nigerian and Nigerien sides. We’ve heard rumours that the military junta in Niger is considering restricting motorcycle movement between the two countries, but for now, nothing concrete has been decided.”

Although official communication from the Nigerien government has not yet confirmed a complete ban on ECOWAS passports, affected travelers are concerned that the situation could worsen, potentially disrupting trade and movement across the border.

When contacted on Monday, the Head of Communication for the ECOWAS Commission, Joel Ahofodji, stated that the regional bloc was unaware of Niger Republic’s policy to bar ECOWAS passport holders.