Algeria Sends Troops to Niger to Guard Oil Assets

The People’s National Assembly of Algeria ratified a proposal to deploy military forces to neighboring Niger on Sunday, formally ending a long period of strict noninterventionist foreign policy.

The lower house approved the measure following a unanimous vote by the upper house, the Council of the Nation, earlier that day. While specific figures regarding troop numbers and deployment timelines have not yet been released, the legislative approval sets the stage for Algerian soldiers to operate outside their national borders.

The mission is primarily designed to secure energy infrastructure. According to reports citing Algerian Senator Belkacem Boulghiti, the forces are intended to protect Algeria’s economic and strategic interests, specifically the oil facilities operated by the state-owned energy company Sonatrach within Niger.

This development follows a series of diplomatic interactions between Algiers and Niamey. President Abdourahamane Tchiani of Niger visited Algeria in February, and his defence minister, Salifou Mody, later traveled to Algiers to discuss security cooperation. These meetings occurred after a period of strain that began in April when the Algerian army shot down a Malian drone, prompting Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to recall their ambassadors.

Prior to the legislative vote, Algeria had already begun moving assets into the region. Nearly two months ago, the country dispatched four Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 jets, a transport aircraft, and an aerial refuelling aircraft to Niamey. Algerian authorities described this earlier airlift as a response to an attempt to destabilize the military-led government in Niger.

The deployment aligns with a broader realignment in the Sahel region. France has withdrawn its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger following a series of coups and rising anti-French sentiment. The United States also reduced its footprint, pulling approximately 1,000 soldiers from Niger in 2024. In the vacuum left by Western forces, Russia has expanded its presence, with personnel from the Africa Corps arriving in Niamey in April 2024 to provide training and equipment.

Algeria’s decision to deploy troops is legally grounded in a 2020 constitutional revision. Article 91 allows the president to authorize overseas deployments if they receive backing from at least two-thirds of the members of each parliamentary chamber. The country has spent more than $25 billion on its armed forces in 2025, making it the largest military spender in Africa according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Senator Boulghiti clarified the scope of the mission to reporters after the vote. He stated that the soldiers are not being sent to wage war but to secure economic infrastructure. He described the move as an adaptation of doctrine to evolving circumstances, allowing the country to address new challenges imposed by the situation in the Sahel region.