On 29 August 2026, mutinous Nigerien (from the country of Niger – not to be confused with Nigerian / Nigeria) soldiers seized Base 101 near Niamey airport and moved towards the presidential palace and state broadcaster. Government forces recovered the base on 30 August with assistance from Russia’s Africa Corps, which reportedly deployed attack drones. The intervention protected General Abdourahamane Tiani, who seized power in July 2023.
Russia still has an estimated 1,700–2,000 Africa Corps personnel across the Sahel region which stretches across North Africa. Unlike Wagner – Russia’s previous extra-state means of projecting power in the continent, Africa Corps operates directly under the Defence Ministry. Russia supplies weapons, training and protection without demanding elections or human-rights reforms. It receives diplomatic support, resource access and influence in countries that expelled French and American forces. On 9 July 2026, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and ministers from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso agreed to deepen military cooperation with the Alliance of Sahel States.
This demonstrates the weakness of regional governance. The African Union suspended all three countries after military coups, but was unable to restore stable civilian government. Mali and Burkina Faso postponed elections established under transition roadmaps. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso formally left ECOWAS on 29 January 2025, reducing the effectiveness of regional sanctions and diplomatic pressure.