Three years after the military coup that ousted former president Mohamed Bazoum, Niger remains gripped by severe economic hardship, escalating security threats, and a shrinking civic space. While the ruling junta under General Abdourahamane Tiani points to recent price drops on basic goods, international observers and local critics warn of mounting repression and an unresolved political crisis.
On July 26, 2023, military forces upended the elected government, detaining President Bazoum and his wife, Khadidja, inside an isolated wing of the presidential palace in Niamey. Three years later, the ousted leader has yet to face formal charges or trial, prompting legal teams and international organizations to renew their demands for his unconditional release.
Legal Isolation and Unresolved Detention at the Presidential Palace
The legal limbo surrounding the former head of state has drawn sharp condemnation from human rights advocates across the continent. Mohamed Bazoum’s defense team describes his current existence as entirely cut off from the outside world, noting that he is barred from taking walks within the palace grounds and restricted to seeing a physician only once a week.
Mohamed Seydou Diagne, lawyer at the Dakar bar and coordinator of the international collective of lawyers for Mohamed Bazoum, via RFI, stated that he had been the victim of arbitrary abduction, arrest, and detention, that his living conditions were more than deplorable, that he had not seen his lawyers for three years, that he only saw his doctor once a week, that he was not entitled to a walk in the palace, and that he was truly in isolation, cut off from the world.
Legal representatives argue that the former president’s presidential immunity was lifted without formal indictment by an investigating judge, reducing him to what they describe as a human shield for his jailers. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, along with various regional bodies, has repeatedly categorized the detention as a violation of international law.
Economic Realities: Lower Prices Clash With Scarcity and Inflation
When General Abdourahamane Tiani seized control on July 28, 2023, he explicitly cited poor economic governance and the high cost of living as justifications for ousting the civilian administration. Three years into the military transition, the economic picture on the ground remains deeply polarized.
Proponents of the junta highlight targeted price interventions designed to help ordinary citizens. Essential items such as cement, cereals, and certain healthcare costs have seen notable reductions. Activists supporting the military government point out that a ton of cement now costs 60,000 francs CFA, down from previous highs of 120,000 or 130,000 francs CFA.
However, critics and independent researchers argue that these measures fail to offset broader systemic shortages. Frequent power blackouts, recurrent fuel shortages, and spikes in the price of fresh tomatoes and meat weigh heavily on daily life. According to data from the International Monetary Fund, consumer prices recommenced their upward trajectory after dropping sharply in 2025, with average inflation projected for 2026.
Security Pressures and a Shrinking Civic Space
Security conditions across the country continue to deteriorate, particularly in the western Tillabéry region, which remains vulnerable to militant incursions. The capital itself has not been spared; the Niamey airport zone experienced two distinct attacks earlier in the year, attributed to the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.
Domestically, human rights organizations report a systematic tightening of state control. The military administration has dissolved political parties, suspended independent labor unions, and restricted civic associations. A revised cybercrime legislation has been used to detain and prosecute journalists reporting on public interest initiatives, while the nation has formally announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court.
While Niamey has recently re-established diplomatic channels with regional neighbors and international actors, civil society groups warn that the prolonged transition lacks a clear roadmap toward democratic restoration.
