NIAMEY, Niger – Niger’s oil exports to China have been abruptly halted, further escalating tensions with neighboring Benin. Oil Minister Mahamane Moustapha Barke Bako announced the shutoff on Thursday, citing a long-running disagreement between the two West African nations.
The dispute centers on a 2,000-kilometer pipeline that transports Niger’s oil to Benin’s coast for export. In May, Benin blocked crude from flowing through the pipeline, demanding that Niger reopen its land border to Beninese goods and normalize diplomatic relations.
Niger, a landlocked country, relies heavily on the pipeline for its oil exports. To further complicate matters, Benin detained five Niger nationals earlier in June, accusing them of falsely entering a pipeline terminal. Niger maintains these individuals were simply overseeing a legitimate oil loading operation.
Minister Bako, in a televised address, justified the oil cutoff by stating, “We cannot allow our oil to be stolen. Our absence at the loading point raises concerns.”
The current tensions stem from a July 2023 coup in Niger. Regional bloc ECOWAS imposed sanctions on Niger for over six months following the coup, disrupting trade flows across the region. While ECOWAS sanctions have been lifted, Niger has yet to reopen its border to Beninese goods.
