But on Wednesday, members of his own presidential guard removed him from office.

The coup leaders say they want to prevent further economic and security problems.

Niger’s neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso, have seen four military takeovers since 2020.

So what does this coup mean for Western countries, who have increasingly relied on Niger as a base for operations against armed groups in the Sahel?

Presenter: Sohail Rahman

Guests:

Kabir Adamu – Managing director of Beacon Consulting, a security risk management and intelligence firm that operates in the Sahel

Nicholas Norbrook – Managing editor of The Africa Report magazine, which covers pan-African politics and business

Alex Vines – Director of the Africa Programme at Chatham House