Niger has withdrawn from an international coalition aimed at combating armed Islamist groups in the Lake Chad region of West Africa, as stated by the government in a bulletin broadcast on state television.
The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which comprises troops from Nigeria, Chad, and Cameroon, has been engaged in efforts to counter the insurgency since 2015. However, its effectiveness has been hampered by internal divisions and inadequate coordination, allowing militant groups to thrive in the region’s sparsely populated areas.
As of now, the MNJTF has not issued a statement regarding Niger’s exit, and the implications of this decision for the mission’s future remain uncertain.
The Lake Chad area has faced numerous assaults from militant organizations, including the Islamic State in West Africa and Boko Haram, which began its insurgency in northeastern Nigeria in 2009, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands.
Last year, Chad considered withdrawing from the MNJTF following an attack on a military base that resulted in the deaths of approximately 40 soldiers.
Since a military junta ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in 2023, Niger has increasingly distanced itself from international engagements. Alongside Burkina Faso and Mali—neighboring countries that have also experienced military takeovers in recent years—it exited the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2024.
The junta in Niger, which recently announced a five-year plan to transition back to constitutional governance, has vowed to enhance security in a country where vast desert areas are traversed by migrants and traffickers. However, the military struggles to maintain control over significant portions of the territory. This month, Islamist militants attacked a mosque in the southwest, resulting in the deaths of at least 44 civilians and injuring 13 others. Additionally, the country’s energy infrastructure, including an oil pipeline connecting the Agadem oilfield to the coast of Benin, has faced assaults.
