Algeria and Niger officially launched operations of a trans-Saharan fibre optic link that will be a communications backbone between the two countries, strengthening their digital connectivity and telecommunications cooperation. The project is part of the Trans-Saharan Fibre Optic Backbone initiative, which includes Algeria, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mali, and Mauritania. Algeria and aims to improve telecommunications links between North Africa and the Sahel. It has completed approximately 2,548 km of fiber infrastructure linking Algiers to In Guezzam, near the Niger border, providing a foundation for cross-border connectivity. This allows Niger, and, eventually, all the landedlocked countries, to have direct access to international underwater cables via Algeria.

The launch ceremony was held on October 6, 2026, in Assamaka, on the Niger-Algeria border, and was jointly chaired by Niger’s Minister of Communication and New Information Technologies, Hamani Kargné, and Algeria’s Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Sid-Ali Zerrouki. Officials and representatives from relevant agencies in both countries also attended the event.

Niger is already in the process of expanding its national network towards Nigeria and Chad, strengthening links with Burkina Faso and Benin, and developing a national data center. These initiatives are intended to improve access to reliable telecommunications services for communities, public institutions, and businesses while supporting the country’s digital economy. The project will enhance telecommunications and regional integration to support government agencies and businesses.