Niger Signs Décret Déchéance Nationalité Infractions for Security

• On September 17, 2026, Nigerien President General Abdourahamane Tiani signed a decree provisionally stripping specific individuals of their nationality.
• This action is based on Article 9 of Ordinance n° 2024-43 (August 27, 2024), as modified by Ordinance n° 2024-46 (October 7, 2024).
• The legal framework allows for nationality stripping for involvement in terrorism or offenses against national interests or public security.
• Cited infractions include spreading data disturbing public order, intelligence with foreign powers, online defamation, undermining military morale, and attacks on state security.
• The decree highlights an expanded legal capacity for the government to act against perceived threats to national stability.

The broad and somewhat subjective nature of the offenses cited, particularly those pertaining to "national interests," "public tranquility," and "state security," establishes a wide net for potential application.

On Thursday, September 17, 2026, General Abdourahamane Tiani, serving as the President of the Republic and Head of State of Niger, officially signed a decree concerning the provisional stripping of Nigerien nationality. This significant executive action targets specific individuals, whose names were not publicly disclosed in the communiqué but are detailed within the decree itself.

The decree, signed in Niamey, represents a direct application of existing legal provisions designed to address actions deemed detrimental to national interests. This move signals a firm stance by the Nigerien government on matters of national security and public order, utilizing its legal framework to impose severe consequences on those accused of specific infractions.

The decree's authority stems directly from Article 9 of Ordinance n° 2024-43, enacted on August 27, 2024. This foundational `ordonnance 2024-43 Niger` established a comprehensive national registry designed to track individuals, groups, or entities implicated in acts of terrorism. Crucially, its scope extends beyond terrorism to encompass "all other offenses" that either undermine the strategic or fundamental interests of the Nation or are likely to gravely disturb public tranquility and security. The ordinance meticulously details the procedures for inscription into and withdrawal from this file, alongside the associated legal consequences, which now explicitly include the `retrait nationalité nigérienne`.

This legal instrument was subsequently refined and expanded through Ordinance n° 2024-46, dated October 7, 2024. The modifications introduced by the latter ordinance further solidify the government's capacity to act on a wide array of perceived threats, providing the legal backbone for measures such as the recent nationality stripping. The existence of such a detailed framework underscores a proactive approach to national security and public order, granting significant powers to authorities in determining who poses a risk to the state.

The specific individuals targeted by the recent decree face provisional stripping of their Nigerien nationality due to a range of serious allegations, as outlined by the `Niger décret déchéance nationalité infractions`. These charges are notably broad, encompassing actions such as the dissemination of data deemed capable of disturbing public order (`troubler ordre public Niger`) and engaging in intelligence activities with foreign powers. Further infractions include defamation conducted through electronic communication channels, participation in efforts to demoralize the national army and the country itself with the intent to harm national defense and social cohesion, and direct `atteinte sûreté Etat Niger`.

Moreover, the decree cites involvement in any activities considered likely to disrupt public peace and security. This expansive list of offenses highlights the wide discretion afforded to authorities under the new legal framework for the `perte nationalité Niger`. The inclusion of acts like "demoralization" and "activities disturbing public peace" suggests a low threshold for actions that could lead to such a severe consequence, extending beyond traditional notions of treason or terrorism.

The decree, officially signed in Niamey, represents a significant and immediate application of the expanded legal provisions concerning nationality. The characterization of the nationality stripping as "provisional" suggests that while the measure is immediate, there might be avenues for appeal or review, though the communiqué itself does not elaborate on these potential processes. This aspect introduces an element of uncertainty regarding the finality of such decisions.

The broad and somewhat subjective nature of the offenses cited, particularly those pertaining to "national interests," "public tranquility," and "state security," establishes a wide net for potential application. This development underscores the government's firm stance on perceived threats to national stability and order, indicating a readiness to employ stringent measures, including the `retrait nationalité nigérienne`, against individuals whose actions are interpreted as undermining the state. For individuals and legal practitioners in Niger, this expanded legal framework necessitates a careful understanding of activities that could be construed as detrimental to national interests or public order, given the severe consequences now explicitly linked to such interpretations.

Lawyers and compliance officers in Niger must understand the expanded legal framework allowing for nationality stripping based on broadly defined offenses against national interests or public order. This creates a significant new legal risk for individuals, requiring careful client advisement on activities that could be interpreted as undermining state security or public tranquility.

Source: Original reporting via Government of Niger communiqué