Nigeria and Niger have agreed to enhance their security cooperation, the Nigerian military announced on Thursday, despite the strained relations following Niger’s coup last year. The agreement was formalized with a memorandum of understanding signed by the defense chiefs of both nations in Niamey, Niger’s capital, on Wednesday. The Nigerian military emphasized their shared commitment to restoring and strengthening collaboration for regional stability and security.
Relations between the two countries deteriorated after Niger’s junta overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023. This coup also caused a rift within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), casting doubts on the collective fight against Islamist insurgency in the region. In response to ECOWAS’s threats of military intervention to reinstate the democratic government, Niger, along with Burkina Faso and Mali, withdrew from the bloc in January, criticizing its failure to address Islamist violence. These countries subsequently formed the Alliance of Sahel States, a new military coalition.
Despite the tensions, Niger has continued to participate in the Nigeria-led Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region, although its involvement has been limited. The recent agreement underscores Niger’s willingness to re-engage actively in security efforts under the MNJTF, as highlighted in the Nigerian military’s statement.
