Two Years After the Niger Coup: Nation’s Address Deepens Rift with the West
Wearing a military uniform and a green cap adorned with his five stars, Niger’s president once again launched a fierce attack against the West in remarks that deepen a divide that has been growing for two years.
This address to the nation was delivered by General Abdourahamane Tiani on the second anniversary of the ousting of the deposed president Mohamed Bazoum and his assumption of power on July 26, 2023.
Since the coup, Bazoum, who was elected president in 2021, has been detained with his wife Hadiza in a wing of the presidential palace in Niamey, according to his lawyer.
In his speech broadcast by Niger’s official television and radio, General Tiani accused the “forces of neocolonialism” of obstructing the development of his sovereign country and destabilizing it.
According to him, these forces negatively affect the daily lives of Nigeriens and prevent the country and its people from achieving the progress made by his government.
Acknowledging the difficulties in repelling “multifaceted external attacks,” General Tiani assured Nigeriens that there are only two options to save the country from imperialist powers.
Either “chaos and submission, or refusal to submit — that is the choice of dignity and honor,” he stated.
However, he did not address the hundreds of soldiers and civilians killed in recent terrorist attacks, though he called on Nigeriens to “pray for a bright Niger.”
On July 4, ten soldiers were killed in two suspected terrorist attacks in western Niger near the border with Burkina Faso, according to authorities, who reported 41 attackers killed.
This West African country, ruled by a military council, has been subjected for a decade to terrorist attacks carried out by groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Two Years After the Coup
Today marks the second anniversary of the coup that brought Abdourahamane Tiani to power. Two years ago, the presidential guard surrounded President Mohamed Bazoum’s residence in Niamey.
The coup was led by elite forces while Bazoum refused to resign. Since then, despite mediation efforts for his release, the former president remains detained with his wife.
The Bazoum couple is under 24-hour surveillance, forbidden from leaving or opening windows, living in complete isolation in two rooms: a living room, a bedroom, and a corridor for exercise, according to French media.
The Numbers: The Other Side of Politics
Two years after the coup, the military council’s economic record remains mixed. Some sectors have regained control, while the banking system is still struggling and inflation remains high.
However, the country’s economy is strong thanks to increased oil production and abundant agricultural harvests, with Niger’s economy growing by 8.4% last year.
Among the main measures taken by the military council in its first two years is the renegotiation of some contracts, notably the nationalization of the Nigerien subsidiary of the French multinational uranium company Orano.
The borders with Benin, the country’s main trade outlet, were closed, causing a sharp decline in trade and an increase in imported goods prices, especially foodstuffs. Inflation accelerated to reach 9.1% last year.
The government tried to contain this increase through subsidies on fuel and cement, but the rate of extreme poverty rose sharply, according to the World Bank.
Economist Ibrahim Adamo Louchi, speaking to French media, noted that the banking sector is also suffering a liquidity crisis and remains very fragile.
This is compounded by sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and declining deposits. Liquid assets dropped by 62% between July 2023, just before the coup, and the end of 2024.
Lending to the private sector also sharply decreased, directly affecting the population, with formal job creation falling by 60%.
