As a historic crossroads for Sahelian mobility, Niger must strike a balance between controlling its borders, combating criminal networks and protecting populations at risk. From the Agadez region to the areas of forced displacement in Tillabéri, Tahoua and Diffa, this challenge is becoming increasingly complex due to insecurity, climate pressures and regional political changes. In a Sahel region undergoing transformation, territorial sovereignty and the protection of people are two inseparable aspects of the same public policy.
In Agadez Migration Sovereignty Faces the Test of Realities on the Ground
Agadez which is located in the heart of the Sahara has for centuries assumed a strategic role in trade and human mobility between sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb. This geographical advantage has made it a crossroads where economic migration, seasonal movements, transit flows and cross-border trade converge.
The region has also been at the centre of European migration control policies. The adoption, in May 2015, of the Nigerien law on the smuggling of migrants had profoundly changed the conditions under which transport and escort services for travellers to the north of the country were carried out.
On 25 November 2023, the Nigerien authorities took a major step by repealing Law No. 2015-36. This decision, which was made public two days later, was defended by the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Fatherland (CNSP) on the grounds of national sovereignty and the protection of civil liberties.
The repeal altered the legal framework governing the movement of people, without removing the State’s other duties in relation to security, combating human trafficking and protecting migrants.
For the Nigerien authorities, the challenge now consists of exercising effective control over strategic corridors whilst preserving the legitimate economic activities that sustain communities in the north.
This distinction is key. A transport operator carrying out regular business, a migrant seeking employment and a criminal network exploiting vulnerable people do not share the same circumstances or call for the same institutional responses.
Data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) show the diversity of these movements. Between October and December 2023, its displacement tracking points in the Agadez region recorded 175,422 movements, of which 54% were internal movements, 34% were outbound movements and 12% were inbound movements into Niger. These figures reflect observed movements and do not represent a count of individual people.
The migration issue cannot therefore be narrowed down to simply crossing the Sahara to reach Europe. It also concerns regional economic mobility, internal displacement and the livelihoods of local populations.
Against this backdrop, border resilience depends as much on the presence of the State as on its ability to maintain safe routes of movement, prevent abuses and offer economic prospects to communities living along migration corridors.
Protecting Displaced Insecurity Context in Tillabéri, Tahoua and Diffa
Whilst migration flows from the north continue to feature prominently in public debate, forced displacement represents another major challenge for Niger.
In the Tillabéri, Tahoua and Diffa regions, armed violence and insecurity have caused many families to flee their homes. These displacements exert additional pressure on the resources of host municipalities, particularly in terms of housing, food, access to water, healthcare and education.
There is, however, a distinction to be made between internally displaced persons and refugees. The former have fled their place of residence without crossing an international border, whilst the latter have left their country and meet the criteria for protection under international law.
This differentiation is important in order to understand the State’s duties and the assistance mechanisms applicable to each segment of the population.
In the first quarter of 2026, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported, in particular, a worsening of the security situation in Tillabéri, resulting in mass displacement and increased risks to civilians. Its operational report records more than 92,900 forcibly displaced people in several priority departments in the region, including more than 9,000 pre-registered asylum seekers from Burkina Faso.
These data, which are limited to specific areas and a specific period, highlight the scale of humanitarian requirements without constituting an exhaustive national assessment.
The response to these displacements cannot be restricted to one-off food distributions or the setting up of shelter sites. It must also ensure ongoing access to basic services and support host communities, which are themselves coping with economic and environmental challenges.
Climate-related hazards add to this vulnerability. Floods can damage homes, infrastructure and crops, whilst poor access to resources exacerbates pressures on livelihoods.
In areas where insecurity and climate-related shocks overlap, protecting populations therefore calls for an approach that combines emergency assistance, risk prevention and economic recovery.
Civil Status and Legal Protection: A Key Issue for Displaced People
Above and beyond the immediate humanitarian response, access to identity documents and civil status records is a fundamental issue for displaced people.
The loss of administrative documents, lack of access to public services or the inability to register births can compromise access to education, healthcare and certain social benefits.
For children born whilst displaced, the absence of a birth certificate can also create long-term barriers to the recognition of their legal identity.
Niger does, however, have a specific legal framework. Law No. 2018-74 of 10 December 2018 on the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons sets out national responsibilities regarding prevention, protection and assistance.
This text is in line with the Kampala Convention, an African Union instrument committed to the protection of internally displaced persons, which Niger ratified in 2012.
The challenge now lies in the practical application of these provisions, particularly in areas where insecurity prevents access to administrative services.
Strengthening civil registration, issuing documents and ensuring the continuity of public services may help prevent the administrative exclusion of displaced populations.
In the longer term, sustainable solutions also involve the possibility of voluntary and safe return, integration into host communities or resettlement in another part of the country.
These various options must take into consideration the security situation, livelihoods and the choices of the people concerned.
Developing a Regional Response to Border Challenges Within AES
Mobility management in Niger now takes place within an institutional framework shaped by the creation of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), comprising Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
The Niamey Declaration, adopted on 6 July 2024, provides, in particular, for the establishment of mechanisms intended to facilitate the free movement of people, goods and services within the confederal area.
This move opens up new prospects for communities whose economic activities and family ties extend across borders.
It nevertheless raises a key question: how can security cooperation between the three States be strengthened without hindering the legitimate movements that have historically shaped the Sahelian economies?
The answer calls for coordination between local authorities, security services, migration authorities and humanitarian actors.
Information-sharing can help to better identify criminal networks and cross-border threats. It must, however, be complemented by mechanisms that distinguish between those involved in criminal activities and those who are travelling for work, trade or to seek protection.
Regional cooperation must also take into consideration populations displaced by violence in border areas as such movements do not stop at national borders and may necessitate coordinated responses in terms of reception, assistance and protection.
The challenge for the AES therefore lies not only in securing its shared borders, but also in its ability to translate its integration ambitions into operational measures suited to the realities faced by the populations concerned.
Security, Mobility, Development as Conditions for Sustainable Resilience
Border security is not necessarily determined solely by a State’s ability to monitor its territory. It also depends on the continuity of public services, the vitality of local economies and trust between communities and institutions.
In Niger’s border regions, security is a key precondition for the resumption of economic activity. But security alone cannot resolve the structural constraints that fuel communities’ vulnerability.
Access to markets, infrastructure, education and employment opportunities remains crucial to helping people move away from the most insecure informal activities.
For displaced persons, this approach involves moving beyond a purely aid-based approach in order to gradually promote economic self-reliance and access to critical services.
For migrants, it entails ensuring regular mobility whilst strengthening measures to prevent trafficking, exploitation and other forms of cross-border crime.
Through its national legal framework and the regional commitments of the three-nation Alliance, Niger has several instruments at its disposal to address these challenges. Their effectiveness will depend, in particular, on the resources mobilised, institutional coordination and their implementation on the ground.
Sovereignty Also built Through the Protection of People
In Niger, the management of human mobility highlights the tensions currently affecting the entire Central Sahel. The desire to strengthen territorial security coexists with persistent humanitarian needs and displacement patterns deeply rooted in the region’s societies.
The repeal of the 2015 migration legislation, the existence of a national framework for the protection of IDPs and the aspirations of the AES for integration reveal the various dimensions of this transformation.
The challenge now is to bring these approaches together into a coherently structured policy capable of simultaneously addressing security requirements, economic needs and duties of protection.
For border management is not merely about controlling movement. It also involves safeguarding people’s rights, supporting border communities and creating the conditions for safer mobility.
It is through striking this balance between sovereignty, security and human protection that a significant part of Niger’s and the Sahel region’s resilience will be determined.
