Signed agreements on manufacture and deployment of advanced space equipment to improve communications and security.
Niger has entered into an agreement with the Russian space firm Glavkosmos to acquire and deploy a communication satellite, a remote sensing satellite, and a defense and security radar system. The memorandum was signed in Niamey on Friday.
This collaboration stems from discussions held in Mali in September and involves coordination among the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which includes Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, along with Glavkosmos, a subsidiary of the state corporation Roskosmos. The AES initiative, as announced by Mali’s Economy and Finance Minister Alousseni Sanou, aims to enhance internet access in remote regions through a communications satellite, as well as to bolster border security, manage natural resources, and respond to disasters with an observation satellite.
Sidi Mohamed Raliou, Niger’s Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, emphasized that these initiatives are designed to establish sovereignty in space-based communication and defense, allowing the three AES nations to gain strategic control over their data and satellite operations.
“We have reached an agreement with the Russian company for the acquisition of these three satellites over a four-year period,” the Nigerien minister stated on Friday, noting that Mali had finalized its agreement the day before.
The production of the satellites is expected to take four years, during which Glavkosmos will provide similar equipment on a rental basis, according to Raliou. He also mentioned that local engineers, officials, and students from the participating countries would receive training to manage and operate the equipment.
“There will also be a main station. We have requested that the command center for these satellites be located in Africa, specifically in one of our three countries,” Raliou added. “By the conclusion of this project, the three nations will be capable of independently controlling and managing their communication satellites.”
Glavkosmos is dedicated to the coordination of Russian space initiatives and serves as the official supplier of remote sensing data obtained from Russian satellites. Furthermore, on Tuesday, Niger entered into an agreement with Starlink, the satellite internet division of SpaceX, to enhance high-speed internet availability throughout the nation. Raliou indicated that the agreement, which was formalized in Niamey, is intended to improve connectivity and bolster digital security.
Starlink’s satellites already provide coverage in Niger, facilitating access for educational institutions, businesses, universities, healthcare services, and the agricultural sector. As part of the agreement, Starlink will install its terminals nationwide, thereby improving internet access in remote and underserved regions.
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