Hama Amadou, Niger’s former prime minister, passed away in a Niamey hospital. He died after years of medical issues, according to a close friend and former deputy. Amadou was 74 years old at the time of his death.
The specific cause of death has not been revealed. In tribute, Niger’s main newspaper, L’Enqueteur, praised Amadou’s fierce determination through political challenges. The paper featured his legacy on its front page Thursday.
Amadou served as prime minister from 1995 to 1996 and again from 1999 to 2007. He was also the speaker of Parliament from 2011 to 2014 and a prominent political figure. Despite his influential role, he ran unsuccessfully in the presidential elections of 2011, 2016, and 2020.
As the founder of the Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation in 2009, Amadou was a key rival of former presidents Mahamadou Issoufou and Mohamed Bazoum. He faced multiple imprisonments during his career, including a 2009 conviction for embezzlement, which was later dismissed.
Despite his challenges, Amadou was allowed to run for president in 2016 while imprisoned. After finishing second, he was released to receive medical treatment in France. Upon his return to Niger in 2019, he was jailed again for eight months before attempting another presidential run in 2020.
Following the July 2023 coup that ousted Bazoum, Amadou returned to Niger but refrained from engaging in politics. His death marks the end of a significant chapter in Niger’s political landscape.