Algeria OKs sending soldiers to Niger to guard its oil rigs

Algeria’s parliament approved a plan to deploy ground forces into Niger on Sunday. This marks a sharp break from the country’s historical policy of avoiding foreign military engagements. The lower house, the People's National Assembly, ratified the proposal after the upper house, the Council of the Nation, had already voted unanimously in favor earlier that same day.

Officials have not released specific numbers on troop strength or departure dates. According to reports from The Associated Press, the mission focuses on safeguarding Algeria’s economic interests in the region. Specifically, the forces are intended to secure oil facilities in Niger operated by Sonatrach, the state-owned energy giant.

This ground deployment follows earlier aerial support. About two months ago, Algeria dispatched four Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 jets, a transport plane, and a refueling aircraft to Niamey. Authorities framed that initial move as a countermeasure against efforts to destabilize Niger’s military-led government. Since then, diplomatic ties have improved. Niger’s President Abdourahamane Tchiani visited Algiers in February, and his defense minister, Salifou Mody, later held security talks there.

Algeria has rarely sent troops abroad since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. A 2020 constitutional update allows for such deployments if the president secures two-thirds support from both parliamentary chambers. The nation currently spends more than $25 billion on its armed forces annually, making it the largest military spender in Africa according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The decision arrives amid broader regional shifts. France withdrew its troops from Niger in late 2023, and the United States removed roughly 1,000 soldiers in 2024. In their place, about 100 Russian personnel linked to the Africa Corps arrived in Niamey in April 2024 to provide training and equipment. Instability in the Sahel remains a direct concern for Algiers, which shares long borders with Mali, Niger, and Libya.

The deployment also aims to protect the planned Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline. This infrastructure project would transport Nigerian gas to Europe through Niger and Algeria. Senator Belkacem Boulghiti told reporters that the mission is about securing economic infrastructure rather than waging war. He described the action as an adaptation of doctrine to changing circumstances.