The United States said Friday it had donated nine containers of military equipment worth about $2.3 million to Niger’s armed forces to support operations against criminal networks and terrorist groups.
According to a statement from the US Embassy in Niamey, the shipment was delivered on May 26 and included uniforms, protective equipment and medical supplies.
The donation underscores Washington’s continued security engagement in the Sahel despite strained ties with governments in the region.
The Trump administration focusing on shared security interests as terrorist groups linked to al Qaeda expand their reach across West Africa.
In February, Washington lifted sanctions on three senior Malian officials over their ties to Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, signaling a broader shift toward pragmatic cooperation in the region.
Niger, along with neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, has faced years of deadly terrorist attacks that have killed thousands and displaced millions.
Violence has intensified in recent months along the border areas between Niger, Benin and Nigeria, where terrorists have turned remote transit corridors into active conflict zones.
The United States previously operated a $100 million drone base in Niger, where around 1,000 troops monitored terrorist activity across the Sahel.
But the base was shut down in 2024 after Niger requested the withdrawal of US forces, part of a wider regional push to reduce Western military presence in favor of new partnerships, including with Russia.
