Niger's ruling military government has proposed merging Niger Telecom, the national operator, with Zamani, a domestic telecoms company, according to a report by SDxCentral.

The proposal comes from the junta that took power in Niamey and has since moved to reassert state control over strategic sectors of the economy. Telecoms, with its mix of state-owned infrastructure and private competitors, fits that pattern.

The plan remains at the proposal stage. No timeline, valuation, or regulatory approval path has been disclosed in the reporting available, and neither Niger Telecom nor Zamani has published details of how a combined entity would be structured.

Why would the junta merge the two operators?

The logic behind a merger would be scale. Niger is one of West Africa's larger markets by landmass but among the most difficult to serve, with a dispersed population and limited fixed infrastructure. A single consolidated operator holding state backing could, in theory, pool spectrum, towers, and backhaul more efficiently than two smaller players competing for the same subscriber base.

It would also give the government a stronger instrument in a market where foreign-owned regional groups have historically dominated mobile services across the Sahel. State-directed consolidation in telecoms has precedent in the region, though outcomes have varied with the quality of management and investment that follows.

What happens next?

The merger requires formal government approval and likely a decree or regulatory filing before any transfer of assets occurs. Until the junta publishes terms, the scale of the deal — and whether Zamani's shareholders accept state control — remains open.

The next concrete signal to watch is an official announcement from Niamey setting out the merger's structure and timeline.