Algeria and Niger have formally reset strained bilateral relations and announced the operational relaunch of the long-delayed Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline project, signaling a significant geopolitical and energy shift across North and West Africa.

During an official visit to Algiers on February 16, Niger’s military leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, was received by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Both men publicly described the meeting as the end of an “unusual period of coldness” in relations that had persisted since mid-2023, following political upheaval in Niger and broader tensions in the Sahel.

The diplomatic thaw was accompanied by a concrete economic announcement: construction of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, often referred to as TSGP, will begin shortly after Ramadan, which concludes in mid-March.

A Strategic Energy Corridor Revived

The Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline is a proposed 4,000-kilometer infrastructure project designed to transport natural gas from Nigeria through Niger to Algeria, where it would connect to existing export infrastructure toward Europe. Once completed, the pipeline would allow Nigerian gas to flow northward into the Mediterranean energy network.

From Algeria, gas could be exported to Europe via the TransMed pipeline linking North Africa to Italy, or liquefied and shipped as LNG. The project has long been viewed as a strategic alternative supply corridor for European markets seeking diversification away from Russian energy sources.

Although the project has been discussed for decades, it gained renewed momentum in early 2025 when energy ministers from Algeria, Niger, and Nigeria signed updated agreements to advance feasibility and coordination. However, diplomatic tensions between Algeria and several Sahel governments temporarily slowed progress. Monday’s announcement appears to remove that obstacle.

President Tebboune stated that practical procedures to begin construction on Nigerien territory would start immediately after Ramadan. He confirmed that Algeria’s state energy company, Sonatrach, will lead implementation efforts in Niger.

The pipeline will rely in part on existing infrastructure in Nigeria and Algeria but will require substantial new segments, particularly across Niger’s territory.

Restoring Political Alignment

Relations between Algiers and Niamey deteriorated after the July 2023 military takeover in Niger, which triggered regional instability and diplomatic recalibration. Algeria adopted a position emphasizing sovereignty and non-intervention, distinguishing itself from more confrontational approaches taken elsewhere.

In the days preceding Tiani’s visit, both countries restored their ambassadors to their respective posts, signaling normalization at the diplomatic level.

The diplomatic reset extends beyond energy. Both leaders confirmed plans to expand cooperation in security, military training, education, hydrocarbons, and electricity. Algeria also pledged economic assistance to Niger, which faces significant fiscal and development pressures.

Tebboune stated that Algeria would support Niger “with everything it needs,” referencing health projects such as dialysis services and expanded educational cooperation.

Competing Pipeline Visions

The relaunch of the Trans-Saharan project also has broader strategic implications. It competes indirectly with a separate Nigerian gas export proposal backed by Morocco, which envisions a longer Atlantic coastal route crossing more than a dozen countries before reaching Europe.

Algerian officials and energy specialists describe the Trans-Saharan route as shorter and more technically straightforward due to partially existing infrastructure. If successfully implemented, it would strengthen Algeria’s position as a central gas hub linking sub-Saharan production to European demand.

The joint announcement should be considered as a recalibration of Sahelian geopolitics and an assertion of regional energy ambition at a time when global supply routes are being reassessed. Whether the project moves swiftly from political commitment to physical construction will depend on financing, security conditions, and sustained trilateral coordination with Nigeria. For now, Algeria and Niger seem to have turned the page on a period of diplomatic tension and tied their rapprochement to one of Africa’s most ambitious energy corridors.