Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Niger’s military leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, have announced a “new dynamic” in bilateral relations following high-level talks in Algiers this week. The summit marks a definitive end to nearly a year of diplomatic friction and centers on the immediate relaunch of the multibillion-dollar Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP).
The 4,128-kilometer project, which has faced decades of delays, is designed to transport 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Nigeria through Niger to the Algerian coast for export to European markets. President Tebboune confirmed that physical construction on the Nigerien segment of the pipeline will commence immediately following the conclusion of Ramadan in March. Algeria’s state-owned energy giant, Sonatrach, is set to take the lead in technical implementation and the laying of the infrastructure crossing Nigerien territory.
This diplomatic reset follows a tense ten-month period triggered in April 2025 by a border incident involving an Algerian drone. The rift saw both nations recall their ambassadors in a show of solidarity between Niger and its partners in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). However, the restoration of full diplomatic ties on February 12 paved the way for Tiani’s two-day working visit, during which he described the renewed engagement as a “pragmatic step” to address the region’s growing economic and security challenges.
Beyond the pipeline, the two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in military training, counterterrorism, and healthcare. Algeria has pledged significant resources to support Niger’s social infrastructure, including the establishment of a press house in Niamey and the provision of kidney dialysis services. This rapprochement signals the emergence of a powerful North Africa-Sahel energy axis that could reshape the continent’s role in the global energy market while stabilizing a critical transit corridor.
