Algeria’s Minister of State for Hydrocarbons, Mohamed Arkab, held a virtual meeting on Sunday with Niger’s Minister of Petroleum, Hamadou Tini, to discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbons sector.
The discussions, attended by officials from both ministries, centered on recent activities by Algeria’s Sonatrach in Niger, particularly at the Kafra oil field. This follows the signing of an Algerian-Nigerien hydrocarbons memorandum of understanding on March 24, 2026, during the second session of the Algerian-Nigerien joint commission for cooperation, co-chaired by Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb and his Nigerien counterpart, Ali Lamine Zeine.
Advancing Kafra oil field development
The talks provided an opportunity to assess progress on infrastructure and exploration work at the Kafra block, as well as to review coordination between Sonatrach—through its subsidiary Sonatrach International Production and Exploration Corporation (SIPEX)—and Niger’s Société nigérienne du pétrole (SONIDEP).
Local content and economic growth initiatives
Both sides emphasized the importance of involving Nigerien businesses in energy projects to boost local content and support economic development in the country. They also explored ways to enhance cooperation in training, technology transfer, and expertise exchange, including joint training programs for professionals and partnerships between national companies such as Sonatrach, SONIDEP, and Naftal.
The discussions covered key areas like logistics, storage, distribution, and securing the supply chains for petroleum products.
Committing to a stronger energy future
At the close of the meeting, the ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral hydrocarbon cooperation and implementing agreed-upon projects. Their goal is to drive economic growth and advance energy integration between Algeria and Niger.
