Abdourahamane Tchiani facts for kids

Quick facts for kids General Abdourahamane Tchiani
عبد الرحمن تشياني
Tchiani in 2025
11th President of Niger
Incumbent
Assumed office 26 March 2025
Prime Minister	Ali Lamine Zeine
Preceded by	Mohamed Bazoum (2023)
President of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 July 2023
Prime Minister	Ali Lamine Zeine
Vice President	Salifou Modi
Preceded by	Collective head of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland
Commander of the Presidential Guards
In office 8 April 2011 – 8 August 2023
President	Mahamadou Issoufou Mohamed Bazoum
Succeeded by	Habibou Assoumane
De facto leader of Niger (suspected)
In office 26 July 2023 – 28 July 2023
President	Collective head of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland
Prime Minister	Vacant
Preceded by	Mohamed Bazoum (as president of Niger)
Succeeded by	Himself (as president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland)
Personal details
Born	Early 1960s Toukounous, Filingué, Niger
Military service
Allegiance	Niger National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland
Branch/service	Niger Army
Years of service	1984–present
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Boko Haram insurgency Jihadist insurgency in Niger 2021 Nigerien coup attempt 2023 Nigerien coup d'état 2023 Nigerien crisis

Abdourahamane Tchiani (born in the early 1960s) is a military officer from Niger who became the country's president in 2025. He is also the leader of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, which is the name of the military group that has governed Niger since 2023.

Before taking power, Tchiani was the commander of the Presidential Guard. In 2023, he played a major part in a coup d'état, a sudden takeover of the government. During the coup, his soldiers arrested President Mohamed Bazoum. This event led to a period of tension and change in the country known as the Nigerien crisis.

Early Life and Army Career

Abdourahamane Tchiani was born in a village called Toukounous in western Niger. This area is known for being a place where many soldiers in the Nigerien army come from. He is part of the Hausa ethnic group.

He joined the army in 1984. As a soldier, he served in many important roles. He worked to stop illegal activities in different regions of Niger. He also served in peacekeeping missions for the United Nations in other African countries, like the Ivory Coast and Sudan.

In 2011, he became the commander of the Presidential Guard, the special soldiers who protect the president. He was a trusted ally of the president at the time, Mahamadou Issoufou, who made him a general in 2018. In 2021, Tchiani helped stop an attempt by another military group to take over the government.

Taking Power in Niger

On July 26, 2023, General Tchiani led the Presidential Guard to take control of the government. They arrested President Mohamed Bazoum at the presidential palace in Niamey, the capital city. Some reports said that President Bazoum was planning to replace Tchiani as commander, and their relationship had become tense.

Two days later, on July 28, Tchiani appeared on television. He announced that he was the new leader of the country. He said the takeover was necessary to prevent the "gradual and inevitable demise" of Niger. He claimed the old government was not effective at keeping the country safe.

Leadership of Niger

As Niger's new leader, General Tchiani made several major changes.

Foreign Policy and Alliances

Under Tchiani, Niger formed a new partnership with its neighbors, Burkina Faso and Mali. This group is called the Alliance of Sahel States.

The country's relationships with Western nations also changed. Soldiers from the United States and the European Union left Niger. At the same time, Niger built a closer relationship with Russia. Russian soldiers were sent to help Niger fight against extremist groups.

In December 2024, Tchiani accused France and Nigeria of trying to cause trouble for his government. Nigeria denied these claims.

Goals for Niger

Tchiani's government set three main goals for the country:

• Making the army stronger and more modern.
• Helping the economy grow by focusing on farming, new roads, and clean energy instead of just uranium.
• Fighting against corruption in the government.

In January 2025, the World Health Organization announced a major success for Niger. The country became the first in Africa to get rid of a disease called onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness.

On March 26, 2025, Tchiani was officially sworn in as president for a five-year term.

Economic Situation

After the 2023 coup, Niger faced economic challenges. A group of West African countries called ECOWAS placed sanctions on Niger. This meant they stopped trading with Niger and cut off financial help. This made Niger, already a poor country, face even more difficulties.

Because of the sanctions, Niger's government had to cut its budget by 40%. Nigeria, which had supplied most of Niger's electricity, stopped sending power. This caused power shortages across the country.

In 2024, the government changed the rules for buying military equipment. The new rules made it faster to get weapons and other supplies. In June 2024, the government also took back control of a large uranium mine from a French company.

Personal Life

General Tchiani is married and has five children. He is a Muslim.

See also

In Spanish: Abdourahamane Tchiani para niños