Gambiaj.com – (ABUJA, Nigeria) – For nearly two weeks, Niger has been crippled by a severe fuel shortage, bringing transportation and economic activity to a near standstill. Long queues of desperate motorists and businesses scrambling for petrol have highlighted the fragility of the military junta’s governance, as its promises of self-sufficiency and defiance against external influence collapse under economic pressure.

Despite months of antagonistic rhetoric and a hardened stance against regional and international actors, Niger’s military rulers have been forced into an embarrassing reversal. With fuel supplies running dry, the junta discreetly sent a delegation, led by the Minister of Petroleum and Renewable Energy and top officials from the Niger Petroleum Company (SONIDEP), to Abuja, pleading for an emergency fuel supply from Nigeria.

In a striking show of regional solidarity, Nigeria approved the immediate delivery of 300 fuel trucks to Niamey, providing much-needed relief. Yet, the irony was unmistakable—Niger’s leaders, who had severed ties with France, defied ECOWAS sanctions, and drawn closer to Russia, found themselves turning to Nigeria, the very country they had openly criticized since their July 2023 coup.

A Crisis of the Junta’s Own Making

The roots of this crisis lie in the junta’s mismanagement of its petroleum sector, particularly its reckless handling of relations with Chinese oil companies. In March 2024, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) had extended a $400 million advance to Niger, using future crude oil exports as collateral, to help the regime weather ECOWAS sanctions. However, when the time came to repay the debt, the junta found itself unable to do so.

Rather than seeking a pragmatic solution, the regime took an aggressive stance, slapping an $80 billion tax demand on SORAZ (Zinder Refinery Company) while Sonidep itself owed the refinery an astonishing $250 billion. When China refused to extend further financial lifelines, the junta retaliated by expelling Chinese oil executives and freezing SORAZ’s bank accounts.

The consequences were immediate and severe. The SORAZ refinery, Niger’s primary fuel supplier, effectively ceased operations. As fuel shortages spread across the country, economic activity sputtered, leaving Nigeriens stranded and businesses paralyzed. Worse still, the crisis jeopardized the Niger-Benin oil pipeline, a crucial project aimed at ramping up the country’s crude exports. With Chinese engineers gone, construction stalled, further deepening Niger’s economic uncertainty.

Denial, Secrecy, and the Limits of Propaganda

For weeks, the junta attempted to suppress news of the crisis, ordering state-controlled media to remain silent even as the black market flourished with exorbitantly priced fuel. But as public frustration grew and the situation became unsustainable, the junta had no choice but to seek external help—even if it meant swallowing its pride and turning to Nigeria.

Yet, even as fuel shipments from Nigeria began alleviating the crisis, the junta has avoided acknowledging its dependency. Niger’s state media has conspicuously refrained from crediting Nigeria for the fuel relief, instead portraying the renewed supply as the result of internal measures. However, as fuel becomes available at normal rates, many Nigeriens are beginning to question the government’s narrative.

What’s Next for Niger-Nigeria Relations?

While Nigeria’s decision to provide fuel underscores its role as a regional stabilizer, the long-term implications remain uncertain. Will this gesture lead to improved diplomatic relations, or will Niger’s military rulers resume their defiance once the crisis subsides?

For now, one fact is clear: when Niger faced economic collapse, it was not Russia, China, or any of its new allies that came to its aid—it was Nigeria. Despite the junta’s attempts to sever ties, this crisis has laid bare an undeniable truth: Niger remains dependent on its bigger neighbor, whether its leaders admit it or not.