Niger’s military-led government has initiated measures to reduce the number of Chinese nationals employed in its oil sector, signaling a decisive push for greater local control over the country’s natural resources.

The junta has formally requested the departure of several Chinese workers engaged in oil projects, a development expected to affect dozens of expatriates and heighten tensions with Beijing.

Oil Minister Sahabi Oumarou directed the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and its joint venture refinery, SORAZ, to terminate contracts of foreign employees who have been in Niger for more than four years, Reuters reports.

In a letter dated May 21 to SORAZ, Oumarou allowed for some discretion, noting exceptions could be made based on the criticality of certain staff, with departure decisions assessed individually.

However, in an earlier May 20 letter to CNPC, the minister rejected a request for a private meeting with the company’s CEO and accused CNPC of failing to comply with local laws.

This move follows the junta’s decision in March to expel three senior Chinese executives from key positions at CNPC, the West African Oil Pipeline Company (WAPCo), and the SORAZ refinery amid growing dissatisfaction over wage disparities between foreign and local workers.

Niger’s actions reflect a broader trend among military-led governments in West Africa asserting sovereignty over natural resources to expand local employment and secure a larger share of profits.

Since taking power, Niger’s junta has taken several assertive steps, including ending military cooperation agreements with the United States and France and reclaiming control of the Somair uranium mine, previously managed by French nuclear firm Orano.

Similar resource nationalism has emerged in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, where military regimes have used legal and regulatory measures to strengthen control over key commodities such as gold.

In January, for example, Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold was compelled to temporarily halt operations at its Loulo-Gounkoto complex after Malian authorities seized gold stocks on site.

Niger’s move to reduce Chinese involvement in its oil industry highlights the growing regional assertiveness over resource governance and the challenges foreign companies face amid shifting political landscapes.