Niger has requested the removal of some Chinese oil workers, according to government letters seen by Reuters, potentially impacting dozens of staff and escalating tensions with China.
Oil Minister Sahabi Oumarou asked China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and its joint refinery SORAZ to end contracts for expatriates who have worked in the country for more than four years. While one letter to SORAZ dated May 21 offered some flexibility on specific cases, a separate May 20 letter to CNPC took a firmer tone and rejected a meeting request from the company’s CEO.
Oumarou also accused CNPC of violating local regulations. The Chinese foreign ministry has yet to respond.
The move follows a March expulsion of three Chinese executives over salary disparities between Chinese and Nigerien staff. Since then, CNPC leadership has sought talks to ease tensions, a company source said.
If implemented, the decision could force dozens of Chinese workers to leave, reflecting Niger’s broader push under military rule to tighten control over its resources and boost local employment.
