Niger Strengthens Control Over Oil Industry, Reduces Chinese Influence

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Niger’s government has announced significant reforms to gain more control over its oil sector, which has been heavily influenced by Chinese companies.

Following a meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, several changes were introduced, including the “standardization of salary scales for expatriate and Nigerien employees,” as reported by the Niger News Agency (ANP).

One major reform directs the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) to appoint Nigerien employees to key operational roles, with “the same statutes, the same rights and the same benefits as those granted to the Chinese.”

The government is also emphasizing the need for oil companies to give priority to “Nigerien labour,” use “local goods and services,” and facilitate a “transfer of technology that will eventually allow technical autonomy.”

Additionally, Niger is reviewing current oil agreements, criticizing certain “prohibitive clauses” that it believes have allowed foreign operators to exploit local resources at the nation’s expense.

In a recent move, the government expelled three Chinese officials from CNPC, further signaling its dissatisfaction with the extent of foreign control. Authorities noted that the goal is to “align more effectively” the 2019 transport agreement and crude oil transmission contracts with national interests.

This shift is part of a broader regional trend, with Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso increasingly asserting control over their natural resources, which they feel have long been exploited by foreign entities.

Since General Abdourahmane Tiani assumed power in 2023, Niger has increasingly distanced itself from France, culminating in its takeover of the Somair uranium mine from the French company Orano in December 2024.