Nigeria’s former central bank governor and former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, met Niger’s military coup leader on Wednesday in the Nigerien capital Niamey in a bid to mediate the crisis.

This is the first delegation the coup leader, Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, has met personally, having shunned several envoys, including a delegation from the West African regional bloc, Ecowas.

Gen Tchiani has also previously snubbed Nigeria’s religious leader, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, US Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and several African Union and UN delegations.

On Wednesday, Mr Sanusi said he had spoken to Gen Tchiani and will deliver a “message” to the Ecowas chairman, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

“We came hoping that our arrival will pave the way for real discussions between the leaders of Niger and those of Nigeria,” Mr Sanusi added.

It comes as Ecowas heads of states are due to meet in Nigeria's capital Abuja to discuss the way forward after the military junta in Niger ignored a deadline to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.