NIAMEY: Niger has signed a deal with Glavkosmos, a subsidiary of Russia’s Roscosmos space agency, to acquire three satellites aimed at enhancing security in the Sahel region, where Niger and its neighbors are grappling with jihadist violence.
The agreement, finalized on Friday, includes a communications satellite, a remote sensing satellite, and a radar satellite, according to Nigerien Communications Minister Sidi Mohamed Raliou.
This collaboration comes as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso—countries under military rule following a series of coups since 2020—formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023, moving away from reliance on former colonial power France and strengthening ties with Russia.
Minister Raliou stated that the satellites will be manufactured in Russia over the next four years. In the interim, Glavkosmos has committed to loaning similar equipment to Niger.
“This very important project supports the sovereignty of our countries,” the minister emphasized. “By the end of this project, the three nations will be capable of independently managing their communication satellites.”
