Niger has officially withdrawn from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), a regional coalition established in 2015 to combat Islamist insurgency groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Lake Chad region.
The decision, announced on state television, reflects Niger’s shift in priorities toward securing its oil operations, particularly a critical pipeline to Benin that has become a frequent target of jihadist attacks. This move marks a significant change in the country’s security strategy and raises questions about the future of the coalition, which includes Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.
In a bulletin read on state TV, the army said the operation under the Multinational Joint Task Force, active since 2015, would now be called “Nalewa Dole” following Niger’s withdrawal.
The MNJTF has been a cornerstone of efforts to address the insurgency that has ravaged the Lake Chad region since 2009, resulting in over 40,000 deaths and displacing approximately two million people. This conflict has created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with violence spilling across borders and drawing in multiple armed groups.
Niger’s departure comes at a challenging time for the coalition, as Chad threatened to exit last year following the loss of 40 soldiers in an attack, citing insufficient coordinated support among the member states. With Niger now out, the coalition’s ability to maintain a united front against these insurgencies is increasingly uncertain.
The withdrawal follows a period of heightened tensions between Niger and its neighbors, particularly Nigeria, after a military coup in Niamey in 2023. Niger’s junta has accused Nigeria of supporting foreign forces to destabilize the country, a claim Nigeria firmly denies.
Despite a meeting between the two nations’ military leaders in September 2024 aimed at easing these tensions and strengthening cooperation, relations have remained strained. Niger’s decision to leave the MNJTF suggests that those efforts have not succeeded, and the country is now charting a more independent course.
The governor of Niger’s Diffa region, General Ibrahim Bagadoma, said at a regional summit in February that “The problem is that some are making efforts, while others are undermining them. We have to present a united front and end foreign interferences in our region.”
Niger’s focus on protecting its oil infrastructure is a key driver behind this shift. The pipeline to Benin, a vital economic asset, has been repeatedly targeted by armed groups, prompting the government to redirect its military resources.
This pragmatic choice underscores the growing pressure on Niger to safeguard its economic interests amid ongoing security challenges. However, it also highlights a broader fragmentation in regional counter-terrorism efforts.
MNJTF has yet to comment on Niger’s withdrawal, and it is unclear how the step will affect the mission’s future.
Adding to the complexity, Niger has joined Burkina Faso and Mali in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a new initiative launched by the three nations following their own military coups.
Late last year, Chad had threatened to withdraw from the Joint Task Force after an attack killed around 40 of its soldiers, citing an “absence of mutualised efforts.”
The AES plans to deploy a joint force of 5,000 troops, equipped with air, land, and intelligence capabilities, to fight terrorism within their territories. This separate endeavor, set to begin operations soon, could further divide resources and attention away from the MNJTF, potentially weakening the broader fight against Islamist groups in the Lake Chad region. This initiative aims to strengthen the fight against terrorism in the AES area.
These forces, equipped with their own aviation, equipment and intelligence, will operate in all three countries of the AES, protecting the region from the terrorist threat.
The concept was first proposed by West African defence chiefs on Thursday, June 27, 2024 to fight the region’s worsening security crises.
The governor of Niger’s Diffa region, General Ibrahim Bagadoma, emphasized the importance of unity at a regional summit in February, warning that division only strengthens the insurgents. Niger’s exit from the MNJTF, coupled with the emergence of the AES, suggests that such unity is becoming harder to achieve. As the Lake Chad coalition faces an uncertain future, the security landscape in the region grows more complicated, with the risk that the fight against Boko Haram and ISWAP could become even more difficult without a cohesive regional response.
