In Focus | Niger
Former President Mahamadou Issoufou's fingerprints all over Niger coup

Niger
Niger junta to inaugurate unfinished CNPC oil pipeline

Keen to drum up some good news, Niger's ruling junta will shortly inaugurate the CNPC crude oil export pipeline, even though construction won't be completed for months.

Palace Intrigues
Alassane Ouattara, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Lula, Mahamadou Issoufou, Florence Parly

Intrigues big and small: every Tuesday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

Ivory CoastPatrick Achi's final tête-à-tête with Alassane Ouattara?

CongoBrazilian president Lula unable to attend Sassou's environmental summit

NigerMahamadou Issoufou, an uncomfortable presence on International Crisis Group's board of trustees

BeninFrance's ex-armed forces minister visits Cotonou

Nigeria
Tinubu's security adviser meets with head of French intelligence

Nigeria's new national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, travelled to Paris to meet the director of the French external intelligence service, as well as the gendarmerie high command.

Spotlight | Niger
Nigerian billionaire Alhaji Dahiru Mangal's shrinking business empire in Niger

Even before the July coup that ousted Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, the lucrative businesses of Nigerian businessman Alhaji Dahiru Mangal had begun to falter. He was particularly involved in the oil trade and the transport of pilgrims to Mecca.

Palace Intrigues
Joseph Kabila, Mahamadou Issoufou, Aya Nakamura, Azali Assoumani

Intrigues big and small: every Tuesday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

DRCJoseph Kabila's spymaster Kalev Mutond in Paris

NigerCoup leaders differ over Issoufou's future

CongoSassous behind French pop star Aya Nakamura's Brazzaville show

African UnionFallout over G20 summit

West Africa
The heads of state who are set to attend the UN General Assembly

Several heads of state from ECOWAS are preparing to travel to New York at the end of the month to attend the next United Nations General Assembly.

Africa
Wave of coups takes toll on AfCFTA

Without the chair of its council of ministers, the African Continental Free Trade Area needs to work fast to find a new captain.

Niger
How Paris is negotiating the partial withdrawal of its troops

Since August, the head of the French Forces in the Sahel and the chief of staff of Niger's army, Moussa Salaou Barmou, have been holding confidential talks about how the first French troops might be withdrawn.

Niger
Niger coup: international solar energy conference forced to look for another venue

Niger's new energy minister is not ready to host the country's first International Solar Energy Conference in October as planned. The organisers are hoping to maintain the event but are looking for an alternative venue.

Spotlight | Niger
Why Niger coup leaves China's CNPC with cause for optimism

For executives at the Chinese state-owned company CNPC, Niger's new regime is not necessarily bad for business. The oil major now hopes to make swift and cost-effective progress on certain thorny issues dating back to the Bazoum era.

Niger
Coup in Niger: tug-of-war over presidential Boeing

The future of Niger's presidential plane, currently stationed in Basel for maintenance, is yet another point of contention between General Abdourahamane Tchiani and President Mohamed Bazoum's entourage.

Niger
Bazoum to set up new oil firm despite opposition

The new state company PetroNiger was due to be launched at a 7 July cabinet meeting, but its official birth was put off because of the interference of Sonidep boss Ibrahim Mamane.

Niger
China tightens grip on Niger's oil with Sinopec

China's state-run oil major Sinopec has set it sights on the western African country, where it is poised to become the second largest Chinese firm operating there behind China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), an old hand in Niger.

Niger
Arquus and Niamey squabble over disputed €3.8m

In April following an audit conducted by the defence ministry, the Nigerien judiciary opened an investigation into the affairs of Arquus/Renault Trucks. For its part, the French company, which supplied 75 vehicles to the Nigerien army between 2017 and 2019, is expecting Niamey to stump up the sum of €3.