Algeria Deploys Army to Niger to Secure Oil Projects
Algeria's parliament approved the deployment of army units to Niger to protect state energy infrastructure, marking the country's first foreign troop deployment since 1973.
The Algerian parliament approved a presidential decision on October 25, 2026, to deploy units of the People's National Army to Niger. The measure received unanimous support from the Council of the Nation and an absolute majority from the People's National Assembly during closed-door sessions. This action represents the first time Algerian ground troops have been deployed abroad since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune initiated the deployment to protect strategic economic infrastructure, specifically oil projects managed by the state energy company Sonatrach. The mission is tied to the development of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, which is designed to transport natural gas from Nigeria through Niger to Algeria for export to Europe. The deployment follows a military cooperation protocol signed during a visit by Nigerien Defense Minister Salifou Modi to Algeria, which previously included the delivery of helicopters and Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets.
Algerian officials emphasized that the mission is not intended to wage war but to secure assets amid ongoing instability in the Sahel region, where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State operate. The move signals a diplomatic thawing between Algiers and Niamey following tensions after a 2023 coup in Niger.
