Romuald Wadagni, recently elected President of the Bénin, made a brief but significant visit to Niger on Tuesday, June 2. This was the first high-level meeting between the two nations since the military takeover in Niamey in July 2023, signaling a potential easing of previously tense relations.
The military-led government in Niger has maintained a closed border with its neighbor to the south, accusing Bénin of aligning too closely with Paris and attempting to destabilize its regime. Upon arrival, President Wadagni was greeted by General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of Niger’s ruling junta. Following a stop in Nigeria the day prior, Wadagni’s second diplomatic mission focused on reopening channels of communication with Niamey.
Key topics on the agenda included reviving security cooperation, as both countries face persistent threats from jihadist insurgencies along their shared borders. Wadagni departed Niamey in the early afternoon, with plans to continue his regional tour in Burkina Faso.
According to an official statement from the Bénin presidency, the visit reflects a broader neighborhood diplomacy strategy championed by Wadagni. A thaw in relations became evident during his inauguration in Cotonou, where Niger’s Prime Minister, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, was in attendance—an unprecedented gesture of goodwill.
Earlier this year, tensions flared when General Tiani publicly named Patrice Talon, Wadagni’s predecessor and mentor, as a purported backer of jihadist attacks on Niamey’s airport. Bénin has consistently denied these allegations. Meanwhile, the country has grappled with its own surge in deadly jihadist violence in the northern regions bordering Niger. Conversely, Niger has faced suspicions of involvement in an attempted coup in Bénin in December 2025, though no formal accusations were made.
