Niger has completed its 1,031-km segment of the Trans-Saharan Fiber Optic Backbone, advancing its national digital sovereignty and connectivity ambitions. Costing approximately 30 billion CFA francs ($53 million), the project includes both a fiber network and a new data center aimed at strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure.
A provisional acceptance ceremony held on November 14, 2025, marked the completion of five major fiber routes linking Niger to borders with Algeria, Chad, Nigeria, Benin, and Burkina Faso. The routes include Arlit–Assamaka–Algerian border (220 km), Diffa–N’Guigmi–Chadian border (186 km), Zinder–Magaria–Nigerian border (117 km), Niamey–Dosso–Gaya–Benin border (300 km), and Niamey–Makalondi–Burkina Faso border (118 km).
Communications Minister Adji Ali Salatou said the backbone will help reduce geographic exclusion, improve rural access, and support digital services such as e-commerce, mobile money, and e-government. The new infrastructure is crucial for Niger, a landlocked nation reliant on neighboring countries for access to international submarine cables.
Through interconnection with bordering countries—many of which host multiple undersea cables—Niger stands to gain more diversified, resilient, and affordable international bandwidth. Neighbors like Nigeria, Algeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Sudan, Libya, and Ivory Coast all provide potential pathways to global connectivity. However, timelines remain uncertain, as implementation depends on ongoing technical coordination and cross-border agreements.
Despite progress, affordability remains a challenge. ITU data shows that mobile internet costs represented 8.31% of Niger’s GNI per capita in 2024—far above the affordability benchmark of 2%. Fixed internet costs are even higher. Authorities hope regional interconnection will improve service quality and reduce prices for citizens.
