Nigeria will reopen land borders when Buhari is ready — finance minister

Nigeria will open its land borders when President Muhammadu Buhari is ready, finance minister Zainab Ahmed has said.

Ahmed said the borders could be reopened soon but only President Buhari could fix the date.

Buhari shut the economy last August to, according to the government, curb the illegal importation of drugs, small arms and agricultural products coming from neighbouring West African countries.

A federal committee, Ahmed said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, has now recommended that the borders be reopened.

“We have made an assessment, the president set up a committee and we have made an assessment and all the members of the committee agreed and are recommending to the president that it is time to reopen the borders,” the minister said.

“The objective has been met in the sense that we have been able, over these couple of months, to work together with our partners in a tripartite committee and do a joint border patrol together and reinforced the sanctity of the commitments that we made to each other.

“So, each side has learnt its lessons.

“Nigeria has been affecting our partners in terms of businesses that we have in Nigeria as well. So, we will be expecting that the borders will be reopened very soon.

“The date will be decided by Mr President.”