Algeria’s Minister of State for Hydrocarbons, Mohamed Arkab, held a video conference on Sunday with Niger’s Minister of Petroleum, Hamadou Tini, to discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector, according to an official statement.
The meeting, attended by senior officials from both ministries, reviewed recent operations by Sonatrach in Niger, particularly at the Kafra block oil field. This follows the signing of the Algeria-Niger memorandum of understanding on hydrocarbons on March 24, 2026, on the sidelines of the second session of the Joint Algeria-Niger Cooperation Commission, co-chaired by Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb and his Nigerien counterpart, Ali Lamine Zeine.
The talks also assessed progress on development and exploration work at the Kafra block and evaluated coordination between Sonatrach, through its subsidiary Sonatrach International Production and Exploration Corporation (SIPEX), and the Nigerien Petroleum Company (SONIDEP).
Both sides stressed the importance of involving Nigerien companies and firms in energy projects as part of promoting local content and supporting economic development in Niger, the statement added.
The two parties also explored ways to strengthen cooperation in training, technology transfer, and expertise exchange through training programs for executives and technicians, as well as developing partnerships between national companies such as Sonatrach, SONIDEP, and Naftal, especially in transport, storage, distribution, and securing supply chains for petroleum products.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to further enhancing bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector and implementing agreed projects to serve economic development and promote energy integration between the two countries.
