Algeria kicks off oil exploration drilling in Niger
The Algerian state-owned energy company Sonatrach has officially launched oil exploration drilling at the Kafra site in northern Niger, near the shared border.
According to a report by energy specialists Connaissance des energies, operations began on August 13, 2026. The project was made official when the two countries held a ceremony co-chaired by Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb and his Nigerien counterpart, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine.
Nigerien authorities not only describe this as a major shift for bilateral relations but also for the local hydrocarbon sector. According to the Connaissance des énergies report, the project aims to reach a depth of 3,900 meters. The Nigerien Ministry of Petroleum announced that ENAFOR, a subsidiary of Sonatrach, who have held the licence since 2005, is executing the drilling work. The block spans 23,737 square kilometres and sits adjacent to the Tafassasset field on the Algerian side. Estimated reserves at the Kafra block exceed 260 million barrels, as Connaissance des énergies reports.
The project operates under a production-sharing agreement concluded in 2015 and renewed in 2022. The agreement mandates key responsibilities, including technology transfer and training programs for Nigerien technical cadres. ENAFOR Niger oversees the local coordination of this development after being established in Niamey earlier in the year.
Ultimately, this energy venture coincides with a broader diplomatic shift. Ties between the countries deteriorated in April 2025 when Algeria was accused of shooting down a Malian drone, as reported in a prior Maghrebi.org article. Because Mali and Niger are close allies governed by military juntas and united in combating jihadist terrorism across the Sahel, diplomatic friction rippled across the region. However, recently, Algiers and Niamey have experienced an improvement in diplomatic ties. This shift was made apparent when President Tebboune declared that “The relationship between these two brotherly and neighbouring countries will be an example for Africa .”
Maghrebi.org, connaissance des énergies, RFI.
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