In a radio message broadcast on social networks, on Thursday, the Nigerien Ministry of Interior instructed the governors of the border states to reauthorize the reopening at exactly 12:00 midnight.

The ministry at the same time ordered the affected governors to strengthen controls and security along the 1,500 kilometers stretch land demarcation.

Nigeria’s border was opened weeks ago after the lifting of ECOWAS sanctions at a summit in Abuja, but Niger did not immediately reciprocate the gesture.

Meanwhile, the border of the uranium-rich nation to its neighbor Benin is still closed on the Niger side despite swift implementation of the ECOWAS directive by Beninese authorities.

Niger transitional authorities had cited security reasons as basis for not reopening the border with the southern neighbors.