Niger Junta calls to ‘Prepare’ for War with France
The President of Niger’s Chief of Special Staff insisted that conflict with France is coming during a meeting with young people in Niamey.[1] Relations between France and Niger are tense, and there are no signs of improvement. On the contrary, a senior member of the Niger junta is openly calling on the population to mobilize and ‘prepare’ for war with France.[2]
Niger has frequently accused France of attempting to destabilize the country since a military administration took control in a coup in July 2023.
General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the commander of the junta, even accused Emmanuel Macron directly of being the “sponsor” of the jihadists from the Islamic State,[3] along with his Beninese and Ivorian counterparts, Patrice Talon and Alassane Ouattara, as the ‘sponsors’ of the Lakurawa terrorist group that attacked Niamey International Airport in late January.[4]
France, whose troops fighting jihadism were forced to leave Niger at the end of 2023 after a long diplomatic standoff with the junta, has always denied any intention to destabilize the country.
During a rally on February 11, in which he addressed young people at the Niamey stadium, General Amadou Ibro, General Tianyi’s chief of staff, claimed that France was going to ‘fight a war in Niger’ because, according to him, his country was responsible for the poor economic situation in France. It was agreed to carry out this mobilization in order to get ready for war with France.
The tensions between France and Niger are not new. After decades of military and economic cooperation, relations deteriorated sharply following the coup in July 2023 that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, an ally of France. The military regime that seized power demanded the withdrawal of French forces, which were considered too present and ineffective in the fight against armed Islamist groups. The French ambassador, Sylvain Itté, was expelled, and security cooperation was suspended.[5] This impasse also revealed a regional dynamic, as Burkina Faso and Mali had already taken comparable actions, indicating a reduction in French power in a region where it has historically played a significant role.
The removal of the French force, followed by the American one from Niger, had, in my opinion, three negative and strategic consequences for the region: 1) a serious blow to the fight against the spread of radical Islamic terrorist organizations; 2) opening the door to greater Russian influence through the ‘Wagner PMC’, the mercenary group and later the ‘Africa Corps’; 3) implications for the migrant crisis from Africa towards Europe.
Niger, one of the world’s largest uranium producers (along with Kazakhstan, Canada, Uzbekistan, Russia, Australia, and Namibia), is in a nuclear dispute with the French nuclear giant Orano. The junta nationalized the local branch of the French company, which filed a lawsuit against the move.[6]
The main source of tension is the fact that while Niger ‘illuminates’ (Niger’s uranium powers about 70% of France’s electricity through its nuclear plants) France, it remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with 80% of its population lacking access to electricity. This inequality has stirred a sense of ‘neo-colonialism’. The military leadership in Niger, under Tchiani, exploited this anger to legitimize the coup, accusing France of plundering the national wealth.[7]
Tensions continue to escalate between Niger and France. On February 13, General Abdourahamane Tchiani repeated his accusations against France, which he sees as responsible for the attack on Niamey airport on January 29, which was claimed by the Islamic State in the Sahel (ISS). The head of the junta, in power since the coup in July 2023, claims that the aim of the raid was to destroy the military’s air capabilities, but that this objective was not achieved.[8]
In an interview with state television, the Nigerien leader claimed that the attack was part of a “deliberate agenda of destabilization.” He said: “It’s no secret. Our rise to power created a situation of open hostility between French President Emmanuel Macron and us.” A day after the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State (IS), he had already accused France, along with Ivory Coast and Benin, of being ‘sponsors’ of jihadists, accusations that were rejected by the three countries. Abdourahamane Tchiiani, who acknowledged the flaw in the airport’s security arrangements, claimed that the attack had been ‘bravely repelled’ and that ‘the defense and security forces are ready to meet any challenge’. He also noted that this raid was accompanied by seven other simultaneous attacks in towns in the Tillabéri region, in the west of the country, where jihadist groups have been active for almost a decade. Russian soldiers from the ‘Africa Corps’, Niger’s new and preferred partners, helped the army repel the attack (see footnote 4). In his latest statement, Tianyi made it clear that he was ready to ‘send’ to France his share of the uranium discovered at the Somaïr site when the junta seized power, in the amount of ‘about 100 tons’. However, he made it clear that: “After that, everything produced is and will continue to be Nigerian”.[9]
Meanwhile, a shipment of about 1,000 tons of ‘yellow cake’, concentrated uranium, has been held up at Niamey airport for several weeks, awaiting potential export. Before the coup, the share of French uranium supplies from Niger did not exceed 20%. Niger, which intends to sue Orano for alleged environmental damage, announced at the end of 2025 its intention to sell its uranium on the international market.
[1] The junta appeals to prepare for a war with France
Niger will “enter war with France”, threatens general Amadou Ibro
[2] Niger must prepare for ‘war’ with France, says junta member https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/318365-niger-must-prepare-for-war-with-france-says-junta-member
[3] Niger PM Accuses France of “Training, Financing & Equipping Terrorists” At UN |Firstpost Africa|N18G
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igL1obezWB8&t=24s
[4] The attack on the airport was carried out by about 40 militants and was repelled thanks to a joint operation by the African Corps of the Russian Defense Ministry and Nigerien security forces. The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that security forces managed to neutralize about 20 terrorists, a fact that strengthened ties between Niamey and Moscow.
Niger: What we know about the attack that targeted Niamey
https://www.jeuneafrique.com/1760888/politique/niger-ce-que-lon-sait-de-lattaque-qui-a-vise-niamey
Based on recent security reports and analysis, Lakurawa (derived from the Hausa term les recrues, meaning ‘the recruits’) is a hybrid jihadist-criminal group (combining an ideology similar to that of Boko Haram or ISIS with criminal activities such as robbery and ransom), recognized as an emerging terrorist organization operating in the border regions of northwestern Nigeria and the Sahel.
The group gained prominence in late 2024–2025 due to a wave of violent attacks, leading the Nigerian government to officially declare it a terrorist organization in early 2025.
Lakurawa: Nigeria’s hybrid threat that attracted US missile fire
[5] Expulsé, l’ambassadeur de France a quitté Niamey
[6] Niger is not just another African country; it is the ‘blood donor’ for French nuclear energy. For decades, France has maintained a unique relationship with its former West African colonies, known as Françafrique. Despite Niger’s formal independence in 1960, France continued to exert enormous influence through currency (the CFA franc), military presence, and control of natural resources. Niger is the world’s seventh-largest uranium producer, and the French state-owned company Orano (formerly Areva) has exploited its mines for over 50 years, powering the nuclear reactors that generate 70% of France’s electricity.
[7] France reportedly bought uranium from Niger for just €0.80 per kilo and sells it for around €200 per kilo, making huge profits while Niger remains poor. This uranium powers around 70% of France’s electricity through its nuclear plants, but most Nigeriens live without reliable electricity. For decades, French companies like Orano controlled Niger’s uranium mines in unfair deals. In 2023, General Tianyi led a military coup, demanding an end to the These exploitative arrangements. He expelled French forces and pushed Niger to control its resources. The West called him a tyrant. But many Africans see this as hypocrisy – he was not a problem when France benefited; it was only when he said ‘no more’ that they saw him as a threat.
[8] The junta leader accuses France after Niamey airport attack
Attack on Niamey airport: the junta leader takes up the case again France
[9] C’est quoi cette histoire de vol d’uranium français au Niger ?
https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/niger/4192513-20251219-quoi-histoire-vol-uranium-francais-niger
