Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced Monday the launch of a trans-Saharan gas pipeline crossing Niger.
The project, slated to begin after Ramadan, aims to strengthen energy connectivity and signal a thaw in prolonged bilateral tensions.
Tebboune said state energy firm Sonatrach will lead construction, starting the pipeline segment that traverses Nigerien territory.
Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani visited Algiers Sunday, engaging in talks seen as ending more than ten months of diplomatic chill.
“With this visit, we are ending an abnormal period marked by coldness, though our peoples maintained communication throughout,” Tebboune declared.
The two nations pledged enhanced cooperation in security, energy, higher education, vocational training, and military education initiatives.
Tebboune emphasised the enduring friendship binding Algeria and Niger, describing the pipeline as a symbol of generational partnership.
Diplomatic ties were downgraded last April after Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali recalled ambassadors following Mali’s accusation against Algeria.
Algeria had claimed the drone violated its airspace on a hostile trajectory, marking the third such breach in recent years.
Reciprocal ambassadorial withdrawals deepened the rift, which Algiers later described as solidarity-driven action by the Sahel alliance, not a bilateral dispute.
Relations began softening late last year, with symbolic messages and high-level visits marking Algeria’s Revolution Day and joint energy reviews.
Algeria and Niger share nearly 950 kilometres of border and collaborate on major regional projects, including the Trans-Saharan Highway corridor.
The pipeline initiative now represents a tangible step toward restoring trust, boosting regional energy infrastructure, and reaffirming historical ties between neighbours.