Niger: Between Fighting Security Issues, Neocolonialism, and New Strategic Allies

The situation in the Sahel region continues to deteriorate. From terrorist attacks escalating to repeated military coups, this has created an unstable and insecure climate for civilians, leading to displacement and what the United Nations has described as one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Niger is no exception. Since the 2023 military coup, the country is slowly following its neighbors’ path, facing similar political challenges, except that in this case, another factor plays a decisive role: its strategic resources.

Just like Mali, Burkina Faso, and most African countries, Niger was also a former French colony and one of the main victim countries of ISIS and Al-Qaeda attacks. In 2013, France deployed more than 600 soldiers to Niger and the region in an effort to contain the violence spreading across the Sahel. However, despite this military presence, the security situation did not significantly improve; on the contrary, it worsened, leading communities to question the effectiveness of foreign military intervention. As insecurity persisted, anti-Western sentiment began to grow, protests emerged in the country, and signs saying “laissez-nous gérer notre propre pays” were held all over.

All of these conditions created a perfect environment for a military coup. Abdourahamane Tiani took advantage of Niger’s insecurity and used the anti-Western sentiment to begin his operation.

For reference, since 2020, six countries in West and Central Africa, all former French colonies, have experienced military takeovers, signaling a broader regional shift. In many of these states, protests against France have intensified, a wave that political analyst Michael Amoah of the London School of Economics described as the “Francophone Spring” in an interview with Al Jazeera.

Beyond security, critics often frame France’s role through the lens of neocolonialism, arguing that Paris has maintained unequal relationships with its former colonies by prioritizing its own political and economic interests. In Niger, this perception is closely tied to uranium, a strategic resource extracted by French companies since the colonial era and essential to France’s nuclear energy sector.

This latest dramatic change across several West African countries has created a state of worry among the French administration, especially with the challenge of climate change and their goal to cut carbon emissions from electricity generation due to the Russia-Ukraine war. In the same context, Niger’s military rulers have increased efforts to drive France out of their economic system, particularly targeting uranium mining. Just this month, France announced that operational control of its local mining firm Orano was taken away by the military forces.

In the same context, another very important actor has taken the stage: Russia. Growing support for Russia has emerged in Niger recently, as it expands its influence in the region, particularly through the Wagner Group, a private military company with close ties to the Kremlin. Putin has confirmed that Russia will offer all types of support to Africa, stating, “Russia’s attention to Africa is steadily growing.” In the case of Niger, this means uranium may be sold to Russia in exchange for arms. This is all part of Russia’s plan to help and support Africa against neocolonialism, as Putin described it: a joint determination to counter neocolonialism, the practice of applying illegitimate sanctions and attempts to undermine traditional moral values. The Kremlin’s plan also includes sending grain and arms to seek African allies.

Will Russia finally succeed in securing peace and stability in the Sahel region, or is this “friendly” plan merely a cover to exploit natural resources, representing nothing more than a new form of colonialism?