Relationship dossier

Niger Nigeria

Relationship assessment

Longstanding regional cooperation strained by confrontation after Niger’s 2023 coup

Niger toward Nigeria

-45

Niger’s military authorities publicly accused Nigeria of supporting a possible military intervention after the 2023 coup and opposed Nigeria’s role in ECOWAS pressure on Niger. These actions marked a sharp deterioration in Niger’s policy toward Nigeria.

Nigeria toward Niger

-45

Nigeria backed ECOWAS sanctions and pressure on Niger’s military authorities after the 2023 coup, and Nigeria’s president supported the possibility of military action if constitutional rule was not restored. Nigeria also has a history of security cooperation with Niger through the Multinational Joint Task Force.

Overall relationship

-15

The relationship combines practical cross-border and regional security cooperation with substantial economic links, but the 2023 coup produced a serious political crisis. Nigeria’s support for ECOWAS pressure and Niger’s accusations of Nigerian involvement in a possible intervention created sustained bilateral friction, offsetting some of the longstanding cooperative structure.

How to read these scores

Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.

−100: Extreme sustained hostility
−50: Substantially adversarial
0: Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
+50: Substantially cooperative
+100: Exceptionally close sustained partnership

“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.

Relationship context

Knowledge coverageLimited

Overview

Niger and Nigeria have longstanding economic and security links, including cooperation through the Multinational Joint Task Force against armed groups in the Lake Chad region. Relations deteriorated sharply after Niger’s 2023 coup: Nigeria, acting within ECOWAS, backed sanctions and pressure on Niger’s military authorities, while Niger’s authorities publicly accused Nigeria of supporting a possible military intervention. This confrontation weighs heavily against a background of practical regional cooperation.

Areas of tension

Nigeria’s support for ECOWAS sanctions and pressure following Niger’s 2023 coup
Niger’s accusations that Nigeria supported a possible military intervention

Key developments

Niger’s coup prompted ECOWAS sanctions and pressure, backed by Nigeria, and a public dispute over the possibility of military intervention.
Niger and Nigeria cooperated in the Multinational Joint Task Force addressing armed groups in the Lake Chad region.

Major uncertainties

The extent to which security cooperation continued after Niger’s 2023 coup is unclear.
The scope and implementation of bilateral economic and security arrangements are unclear.

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