Algerian Army Heads to Niger to Secure Sonatrach After France Exit

Algerian lawmakers voted on Sunday to authorize the deployment of troops to Niger, a decision that reverses a decades-long policy of military nonintervention in neighboring states. The People's National Assembly ratified the proposal, following a unanimous vote by the upper house, the Council of the Nation, earlier that day. Official figures regarding the number of soldiers and the specific timeline for their arrival have not yet been released.

The Associated Press reported that the mission is designed to protect economic and strategic interests, specifically the oil facilities operated by Algeria's state-owned energy company, Sonatrach. Senator Belkacem Boulghiti stated after the vote that the forces are not being sent to wage war but to secure economic infrastructure. He described the move as an adaptation of doctrine to the evolving security environment in the Sahel region.

This shift follows a period of diplomatic tension and subsequent repair between Algiers and Niamey. Relations were strained in April after the Algerian army shot down a Malian drone, prompting Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to recall their ambassadors. Ties improved after Niger's President Abdourahamane Tchiani visited Algeria in February and his defense minister, Salifou Mody, traveled to Algiers months later to discuss security cooperation.

The deployment occurs as foreign military presence in the Sahel undergoes a major realignment. France withdrew its troops from Niger in December 2023, and the United States pulled approximately 1,000 soldiers from the country in 2024. Russia has filled part of the void, with about 100 personnel from the Africa Corps arriving in Niamey in April 2024 to provide training and equipment.

Algeria's military spending reached more than $25 billion in 2025, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, making it the largest military spender in Africa. The 2020 constitutional revision allows the president to authorize overseas deployments if two-thirds of each parliamentary chamber approves. This framework was last tested in 1973 when Algerian forces participated in the Arab-Israeli war.

The decision follows Algeria's recent diplomatic actions, including the severing of ties with the United Arab Emirates in September over alleged hostile actions. The move places Algerian forces in a region where six military coups have occurred in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since 2012. The deployment also aims to safeguard the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, a project that would transport Nigerian gas to Europe through Niger and Algeria.