Niger’s Exit from Lake Chad Force Raises Security Concerns Across West Africa

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Niger’s recent withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF)—a regional military coalition battling Islamist militants in the Lake Chad basin—has sparked anxiety among regional and international observers. The force, comprising troops from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin, was established to combat the growing threat of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). With Niger’s exit, the regional counterterrorism architecture now faces a significant disruption.

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Analysts fear that the move could embolden terrorist factions operating along the porous Niger-Nigeria-Chad border, a region already notorious for insurgent activity and human displacement. Niger’s geographical position had been crucial in containing cross-border terrorist movements and providing strategic military support. Its withdrawal now leaves a security vacuum that may take time—and resources—to fill.

While Niger has not given a detailed explanation for its exit, some observers link it to the junta’s growing isolation from traditional Western and regional partners following the July 2023 coup. The country’s new military rulers have increasingly aligned with alternative security arrangements, including partnerships with Russia’s Wagner-linked forces.

This pivot, however, may come at a high cost. Weakening the MNJTF risks undermining years of coordinated efforts to neutralise Islamist threats in the Lake Chad region. For a zone already grappling with humanitarian crises and fragile state structures, Niger’s decision could shift the tide in favour of the insurgents.