Updated April 10, 2024
Niger
A military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, a
Figure 1. Niger at a Glance
former Presidential Guard commander, seized power in July
2023, part of a wave of coups in Africa. In March 2024, the
junta rescinded Niger’s status of forces agreement (SOFA)
with the United States, which underpins one of the largest
U.S. troop presences in Africa, at 648 soldiers as of late
2023 (down from over 1,000 prior to the coup). The
decision came after U.S. officials expressed concern about
“Niger’s potential relationships with Russia and Iran,” as
U.S. officials later publicly confirmed. Events in Niger
have deepened the challenges facing U.S. policymakers in
the Sahel, amid growing insurgencies, political instability,
and Russian engagement in the region. Prior to the coup,
U.S. officials characterized Niger as an emerging
democracy and important security and development partner.
The Biden Administration has condemned the 2023 coup
and restricted U.S. aid and security cooperation. The
Department of Defense (DOD) has indicated that all
counterterrorism cooperation has been suspended, and that
U.S. intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)
operations in the country, which restarted in September
2023, are conducted for “force protection” purposes only.
Source: CRS graphic. Data from CIA World Factbook, IMF.
After seizing power, the junta expelled France’s
President Bazoum’s inauguration in 2021 marked Niger’s
ambassador and roughly 1,500 French troops, who had
first-ever transition between two elected presidents. He
conducted U.S.-supported counterterrorism operations. It
also ended European Union security cooperation programs.
succeeded close ally Mahamadou Issoufou in what many
perceived as a managed transition. Although observers
These moves leveraged (and stoked) local resentment of
generally deemed the 2020-2021 elections credible, a
France, the former colonial power and a key player in
Niger’s economy and uranium mining sector. Niger’s
prominent opposition figure was barred from running for
president due to a criminal conviction that supporters
military authorities have established an alliance with fellow
viewed as biased, and the losing candidate rejected the
populist juntas in Mali and Burkina Faso, which have
results as fraudulent. Protests and rioting erupted after
likewise expelled French troops and drawn closer to Russia.
results were released, and authorities claimed to foil a coup
The junta has declined to issue a clear roadmap for
attempt. Freedom House rated Niger as “Partly Free” under
returning power to civilians, and continues to detain former
Bazoum, noting multiparty competition along with state
elected president Mohamed Bazoum. Other leaders in the
“persecution” and “co-option” of opposition leaders. The
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
State Department reported concerns about apparent
initially threatened a military intervention to reverse the
harassment of civil society groups and journalists, and
coup and imposed broad economic sanctions. ECOWAS
authorities restricted some civil liberties, including protests.
has since downplayed the threat of military action and lifted
Under Presidents Issoufou and Bazoum, Niger assumed
sanctions in February 2024 after Niger, Mali, and Burkina
increasing importance as an anchor of Western security
Faso stated they would leave the bloc.
cooperation in the Sahel, as both leaders agreed to host U.S.
Context
and Western troop contingents while other governments in
Landlocked and arid, Niger is one of the world’s poorest
the region fell to military coups. President Bazoum also was
countries. Coups and armed rebellions have marked its
one of the few regional leaders to openly criticize Russia’s
history. Insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic
Wagner Group, which began operating in Mali in 2021. In
State (IS) are active in border regions and neighboring
2022, France increased its troop presence in Niger after
countries. Conflicts involving these groups have displaced
being forced to withdraw its military from Mali.
hundreds of thousands of Nigeriens and caused military and
Prelude to the coup. The growing foreign troop presence,
civilian casualties. The IS Sahel affiliate also claimed a
2017 deadly ambush of U.S. soldiers in Niger, and over the
President Bazoum’s close ties to France, and Niger’s
cooperation with the EU to counter migrant flows (from
past decade, several U.S. citizens were kidnapped in Niger
which some in Niger derive income) prompted local
and held by regional terrorist groups. (All were later freed,
backlash, including protests and rioting in 2021 and 2022.
at times pursuant to Nigerien mediation.)
Although security trends were relatively positive in 2023,
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Niger
some of Bazoum’s policies, including a military integration
The Economy and Humanitarian Conditions
program for some Islamist insurgent defectors, reportedly
While most Nigeriens are engaged in agriculture and/or
spurred discontent within the armed forces. Bazoum’s
livestock herding, the formal economy centers on uranium
efforts to sideline Presidential Guard chief Tchiani and
mining and oil production. Niger also has coal and other
demotion of military chief of staff Salifou Mody (now the
minerals. Niger is a top uranium producer, and the sector
junta’s number two) notably backfired. A defense
has been of particular importance to France, which uses
procurement corruption scandal emerged under former
uranium for domestic electricity and nuclear defense. The
President Issoufou, with little apparent accountability.
prominent role of a French state-controlled uranium firm,
Bazoum also reportedly engaged in a power struggle with
Orano (ex-Areva) has drawn criticism from local activists,
Issoufou over control of the ruling party and emergent oil
who also cite health and environmental concerns linked to
revenues. Some observers allege that Issoufou, who had
mining. Oil production began in the early 2010s, and is
elevated Tchiani and Mody within the armed forces, played
mostly used for domestic consumption. An export pipeline
a role in the coup, which the former president has denied.
to Benin, developed and operated by the China National
Terrorist and Insurgent Threats and Responses
Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), came online in early 2024.
Turkey has also been a prominent economic partner,
Several U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations
including in the construction sector.
(FTOs) are active in parts of Niger, including the Mali-
based regional Al Qaeda affiliate, known as the Group for
Limited arable land, high population growth, and regular
the Support of Islam and Muslims (aka JNIM) and a rival
droughts and flooding—potentially worsened by climate
IS Sahel affiliate that operate along western borders with
change—have fueled widespread food insecurity and
Mali. Niger’s southeast is threatened by Nigerian-led Boko
malnutrition. Other health issues include malaria and
Haram and its offshoot, IS-West Africa. U.S. officials have
outbreaks of measles, meningitis, cholera, and polio. Child
characterized Sahel-based FTOs as threatening U.S.
marriage and adolescent motherhood are common; access
interests and nationals within the region. Southern Niger
to education is limited, especially for girls and in rural
also faces spillover of criminal and communal violence
areas. Conflict-related displacement has further strained
from northwest Nigeria.
local communities and obstructed service delivery.
U.S. Relations, Military Presence, and Aid
Over the past decade, Niger pursued military operations
against insurgents, conducted large recruitment drives, and
The Biden Administration condemned the July 2023 coup,
acquired defense materiel from Western donors and other
pressed the junta to release President Bazoum, and
partners (including Russia, China, and Turkey). Niger
expressed support for ECOWAS’s efforts to “return Niger
participated in multiple donor-backed regional security
to a democratic path.” U.S. officials did not back
ECOWAS’ threat
initiatives and in the U.N. peacekeeping operation in Mali
of military intervention or sanctions,
(which ended in late 2023 at the demand of Mali’s ruling
which aid groups criticized as indiscriminate. U.S.
junta). Nigerien officials asserted that rising security needs
Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon presented her credentials
limited resources available for socioeconomic programs.
to the military-led government in December 2023.
Whether Niger’s counterinsurgency tactics will shift under
The State Department has applied coup-related restrictions
military rule is in question. With U.S. and other donor
on U.S. aid “to the government” under §7008 of annual aid
support, Bazoum’s administration opened talks with some
appropriations measures. The Administration has proposed
Islamist insurgents and offered to help defectors reintegrate
$82 million in bilateral aid to Niger in FY2025, down from
into civilian life. Unlike some of its neighbors, Niger has
$107 million allocated in FY2023 (latest). (The FY2023
generally not armed ethnic militias or civilian vigilantes,
figure does not capture most security assistance prior to the
and allegations of security force abuses have been relatively
coup, which was provided under State Department regional
rare. In 2020, however, human rights groups accused
and global programs, and by DOD.) The Millennium
soldiers in Niger of forcibly disappearing nearly 200 people
Challenge Corporation (MCC) also suspended a $443
during an operation near the Mali border.
million development aid compact, along with preparatory
work on Niger’s portion of a regional compact with Benin.
Russia and Iran
The Administration terminated Niger’s eligibility for trade
For military leaders in the Sahel, outreach to Russia appears
benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
to serve as a rejection of France’s postcolonial influence, a
populist bid for domestic legitimacy, and a means to seek
Various types of aid are either exempt from §7008 or
authorized to continue “notwithstanding” such restrictions.
external security support on new terms. Mali’s junta sought
counterinsurgency support from Russia’s Wagner Group in
The provision is also silent with regard to DOD operations.
2021; in early 2024, Russia deployed some 100 personnel
U.S. officials have testified that the Administration has
suspended “
to Burkina Faso and announced defense agreements with
even security assistance and cooperation that is
Niger. Since Wagner’s nominal demise in mid-2023,
not required to be limited by the law.” Prior to the junta’s
Russian officials have asserted more direct control over its
decision to abrogate the U.S. SOFA in March 2024, and
operations in Africa. Wagner’s successor group, so-called
U.S. stated concerns about cooperation with Russia and
Africa Corps or Expeditionary Corps, has stated plans to
Iran, U.S. officials had indicated a willingness to resume
deploy to Niger, and Niger hosted Russia’s deputy defense
some suspended assistance and security cooperation if the
minister in late 2023.
junta released Bazoum and issued a calendar for elections.
Niger’s Prime Minister Lamine Zeine led a delegation to
Alexis Arieff, Specialist in African Affairs
Russia and Iran in early 2024, reportedly sparking U.S.
IF12464
concerns about Iranian access to Niger’s uranium.
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Niger
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12464 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED