Algeria deploys forces to Niger to secure Sonatrach oil after diplomatic thaw

Algerian soldiers will soon cross the border into Niger. The country's parliament approved a formal deployment on Sunday, marking a clear break from decades of military nonintervention. The mission targets specific economic assets rather than general security operations.

The People's National Assembly ratified the proposal following a unanimous vote in the Council of the Nation earlier that day. Officials have not yet released the exact number of troops or the specific timeline for the arrival in Niamey. The move follows a recent increase in military activity in the region.

Algerian authorities stated the troops are there to protect oil facilities owned by Sonatrach, the state-owned energy giant. Senator Belkacem Boulghiti told reporters that the mission secures economic infrastructure. He described the action as an adaptation to new challenges in the Sahel region.

The decision comes amid a thaw in relations between Algiers and Niamey. Niger's President Abdourahamane Tchiani visited Algeria in February. His defense minister, Salifou Mody, later traveled to Algiers to discuss security cooperation. These diplomatic steps followed a period of tension that included a drone incident in April.

Algeria's military spending supports this expanded role. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reports that the country spent more than $25 billion on its armed forces in 2025. This budget makes it the largest military spender in Africa. The constitutional framework for overseas deployment was formalized in 2020.

Article 91 of the constitution allows the president to authorize foreign deployments. The measure requires the backing of at least two-thirds of members in both chambers of parliament. The lower house and upper house met this threshold on Sunday. Algeria previously sent forces only in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

The Sahel region faces shifting security dynamics. France withdrew its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger between 2022 and 2023. Russia has filled part of that void, with approximately 100 personnel from the Africa Corps arriving in Niamey in April 2024. The United States also withdrew about 1,000 soldiers from Niger in 2024.

Instability in the region affects Algeria directly. The country shares long borders with Mali, Niger, and Libya. The collapse of the Libyan government in 2011 helped spread weapons and armed fighters into neighboring states. This influx contributed to the 2012 rebellion in northern Mali and subsequent coups in the region.