Executive Summary

Recent reports indicate that Türkiye is establishing an intelligence hub in Niger, signalling a strategic expansion of its influence in the Sahel region. This could have significant implications for regional security dynamics, counterterrorism efforts, and the balance of power in the Sahel.

Throughout history, the Ottoman Empire maintained a strategic and cultural influence in sub-Saharan Africa, including the Niger region. This influence was shaped through its direct control of territories north of the Sahara Desert, such as Tripolitania (modern-day Libya), Algeria, and Tunisia. Türkiye established diplomatic relations with Niger in 1967 and opened its first embassy in the country in 2012. Türkiye has substantial ties to Burkina Faso and Mali, but Niger has historically been its strongest partner in the region and opening an intelligence hub only further enhances its footprint there.