• Last week, Niger military officers suspended the constitution and dissolved all institutions after overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum.

• The overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum has sent shockwaves across West Africa.

• The junta detained senior politicians defying international calls to restore democratic rule.

• The new junta got backing from the military governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

• Bazoum was elected two years ago in Niger’s first peaceful transfer of power since independence from France in 1960.

• The coup leaders have named General Abdourahamane Tiani, the former presidential guard chief, as head of State.

• Niger has seen four coups since independence and numerous other attempts, including two against the 63-year-old Bazoum.

• The neighbouring countries of Mali and Burkina Faso, have both experienced military coups in the past few years.

Key facts about Niger:

• Niger is a landlocked country in West Africa named after the Niger River. 

• Niger is bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin to the southwest, Mali to the north-west, Burkina Faso to the south-west, and Algeria to the northwest.

• It is the largest country in West Africa.

• Over 80 per cent of its land area lies in the Sahara Desert. 

• The capital and largest city is Niamey, located in Niger’s southwest corner.

• Niger is one of the world’s poorest nations, often ranking last on the United Nations’ Human Development Index.

• Niger is the world’s seventh-biggest producer of uranium, according to the World Nuclear Association (WNA).

• Niger, which has Africa’s highest-grade uranium ores, produced 2,020 metric tonnes of uranium in 2022, about 5 per cent of world mining output.

How other countries reacted to the coup?

• The African Union, the United Nations, the European Union and other powers have condemned the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum. 

• The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said that it was suspending relations with Niger, and authorised the use of force if President Bazoum is not reinstated within a week. 

• The African Union has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the military government in Niger to reinstall the democratically elected government.

• Landlocked Niger, a former French colony, has become a pivotal ally for Western powers seeking to help fight the insurgencies, but they are facing growing acrimony from the new juntas in charge in Mali and Burkina Faso.

• Niger is also a key ally of the European Union in the fight against irregular migration from sub-Saharan Africa.

• France, Italy and Spain announced evacuations from Niger for their citizens and other European nationals.

Ultimatum set by ECOWAS 

• ECOWAS announced the suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger, which is part of the bloc, as well as halting energy transactions.

• ECOWAS has threatened to use force to reinstate Bazoum, while neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, also ruled by military juntas, said they would come to Niger’s defence.

• The Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) of ECOWAS will meet in Abuja from August 2 to 4 to discuss the political situation in Niger.

• ECOWAS was earlier criticised for not having a strong response to the coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali in recent years.

• Experts say ECOWAS may use military force. This is the first time in recent years that ECOWAS has considered the use of force to intervene and restore democracies in countries where the military took over.

• The resistance threatened by other countries run by regimes — Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea — could further complicate ECOWAS’ response.

What is ECOWAS?

• The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)  was established by the signing of Treaty of Lagos in May 1975 by 15 West African countries.

• Cabo Verde joined the union in 1977.

• Mauritania withdrew its full-membership in 2000.

• The 15 members of the ECOWAS are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Ivory Coast, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. 

• The ECOWAS region spans an area of 5.2 million square kilometres. 

• Considered one of the pillars of the African Economic Community, ECOWAS was set up to foster the ideal of collective self-sufficiency for its member states. As a trading union, it is also meant to create a single, large trading bloc through economic cooperation.

• The main goal of ECOWAS is to promote economic cooperation among member states in order to raise living standards and promote economic development. 

• ECOWAS has also worked to address some security issues by developing a peacekeeping force for conflicts in the region. 

• In 2007, ECOWAS Secretariat was transformed into a Commission to implement the vision, mission and objectives of ECOWAS as a regional grouping of 15 Member States. 

• Its headquarters is in Abuja, Nigeria.

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