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Strategically important Niger is at a crossroads after the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, with events quickly deteriorating to the extent that Ecowas has threatened force to reinstate democratic rule, while France and the US are anxious to ensure their key regional military base doesn’t follow other Sahel states by falling into the Russian camp, writes Marc Howard.

On 26 July, nine military officers made a televised address to say they had ousted the democratically-elected President Mohamed Bazoum. The announcement was made on state television by Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane – who has since been named as the putschist’ Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie (CNSP)’s spokesman – but no coup leader was immediately specified.

Nigerien military officers have sought to oust key western ally President Mohamed Bazoum in a 26 July putsch that has implications for regional stability and the fight against jihadism in the Sahel. In the West, Bazoum has been seen to be leading a reforming administration that is intent on fighting the regional Islamist insurgency and pushing back against malign Russian influence.

On 25 May, Niger’s Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energies (known by its French acronym Meer) said the 1.7MW Dirkou solar-diesel hybrid power plant, with 2.8MWh of battery storage, had been commissioned.

Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX)-listed miner Global Atomic Corporation (GAC) has outlined the anticipated project milestones and time frame for its $208m Dasa uranium mine project in Niger’s Tchirozérine commune.  The project includes a planned grid-connected hybrid power plant with battery energy storage, constructed under a build-own-operate model.

The Nigerien Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energies (known by its French acronym Meer) said on 10 May it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with London AIM-listed Savannah Energy for two solar PV plants.

Niger's Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energies has confirmed the timeframe for commissioning 3MWp of off-grid solar photovoltaic capacity at ten sites across the country. An initial 3MWp is already operational at five isolated, state-owned thermal plants. While the 6MWp addition is relatively small for many markets, it represents a significant increase for one of Africa’s poorest countries. African Energy takes a closer look at the projects and the impact they could have on energy access in Niger.

London AIM-listed Savannah Energy said on 13 April that its 250MW Parc Eolien de la Tarka project had made “significant progress”, with environmental and social impact (Esia) and grid connection studies in progress or completed.

The Opec Fund for International Development (Ofid) is providing $25m for the Niger Solar Plant Development and Electricity Access Improvement Project (Ranaa), which is supporting 40MW of solar-hybrid capacity across three developments.

Niamey hopes the construction of a pair of thermal power plants with total capacity of 111MW will break its dependency on Nigerian electric power, but little is known about Moulaye El Arby Baba Aïnina, the Mauritanian businessman with mining and cement processing interests in Guinea who has financed the $130m investment.

The $7bn Niger-Benin Export Pipeline (NBEP) is now 70% complete, Nigerien energy minister Mahamane Sani Mahamadou was told on 7 February, during a site visit to what is being promoted as Africa’s longest oil pipeline.

Energy minister Ibrahim Yacoubou told a ceremony to commission the Zinder HFO plant that the Gorou Banda solar PV project in Niamey will be commissioned on 2 April.

State utility Société Nigérienne d’Electricité (Nigelec) has issued a tender to design, procure and install a 132kV transmission loop in Niamey. The project is funded by the World Bank Group (WBG) under its Accelerating Electricity Access Project, which also includes development of solar PV mini-grids in rural areas, increasing access to solar off-grid services and utility operational performance improvemen.

WinEnerji has reported a successful local start for its 23MW Zinder heavy fuel oil (HFO) power plant in Niger. The Turkish engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor told African Energy it was also working on a 10MW plant in Malbaza for state utility Société Nigérienne d’Electricité (Nigelec).

Global Alliance for People and Planet and the Norwegian government have pledged more funding to support the development of solar power in Sahel countries.