Benin’s president romuald wadagni visits Niger to restore diplomatic ties

The newly elected President of Benin, Romuald Wadagni, made a brief but significant visit to Niamey this past Tuesday, June 2nd, marking his first trip to Niger since the military takeover in July 2023. This diplomatic gesture signals a potential thaw in the strained relations between the two neighboring countries. The Nigerien military regime has kept its borders closed with Benin, accusing it of aligning too closely with France and allegedly attempting to destabilize Niamey.

Upon landing, President Wadagni was greeted by his counterpart, the head of the Nigerien junta, General Abdourahamane Tiani. Following a prior visit to Nigeria the day before, Wadagni’s second stop was Niger, where discussions with General Tiani focused on reviving security cooperation. Both nations are grappling with persistent jihadist violence along their shared borders.

Wadagni departed Niamey in the early afternoon, en route to Burkina Faso. This visit underscores the active neighborhood diplomacy President Wadagni intends to pursue with all neighboring states, as explained in an official statement from Benin’s presidency. The first signs of détente emerged during Wadagni’s inauguration in Cotonou, where Niger’s Prime Minister, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, was present.

From strained rhetoric to diplomatic overtures

Tensions had escalated in late January when Wadagni’s predecessor and mentor, President Patrice Talon, was publicly named by General Tiani as one of the alleged sponsors of the jihadist attack on Niamey’s airport. Cotonou swiftly dismissed these claims. Meanwhile, Benin has faced its own surge in deadly jihadist attacks in the northern regions bordering Niger. Conversely, suspicions have circulated regarding Niger’s alleged involvement in an attempted coup in Benin in December 2025, though no direct accusations were made by Benin’s government.