By Steven Kefas
The Sahel, a semi-arid belt stretching across West Africa, has long been a crucible of geopolitical competition. For decades, the region’s security architecture was shaped by Western powers, particularly France and the United States, whose counterterrorism operations sought to contain jihadist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS affiliates. But as Western troops exit amid rising anti-colonial sentiment and shifting global priorities, a new actor is poised to reshape the Sahel’s future: China. Analysts warn that Beijing’s growing footprint through security partnerships, economic investments, and diplomatic maneuvering could redefine the region’s alliances, but not without risks.
A Vacuum Waiting to Be Filled
The withdrawal of French forces from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in 2023 marked a symbolic end to Europe’s post-colonial security dominance in the Sahel. The United States, too, has recalibrated its focus, reducing drone bases and aid programs. This retreat has left fragile states scrambling for alternatives to combat militants who control vast rural territories. Enter China, a rising power with deep pockets, no colonial baggage, and a foreign policy mantra of “non-interference.”
“China sees an opportunity to expand its influence in a region rich in natural resources and strategic importance,” says Dr. Zainab Diallo, a Banjul-based security analyst, to TruthNigeria. “Unlike the West, Beijing isn’t burdened by demands for democracy or human rights reforms. For Sahelian junta-led governments, that’s an attractive proposition.”
Security Partnerships: A Double-Edged Sword
China’s foray into Sahelian security is still nascent but strategic. In 2019, China pledged $45 million to the G5 Sahel Joint Force, a regional counterterrorism initiative and has since provided non-lethal military equipment to Mali and Niger. Unlike Western missions, which often tie aid to governance benchmarks, Beijing’s support comes with few strings attached.
“China’s approach is pragmatic,” says Major Abdollahi Njiaye, a retired Gambian military officer and security consultant based in London to TruthNigeria. “They’re offering surveillance technology, training, and cyber-capabilities—tools that align with their domestic counterinsurgency playbook.” However, critics argue that empowering autocratic regimes could exacerbate instability. “Arming junta governments without accountability risks fueling repression, which often drives radicalization,” warns Diallo.
“The Chinese model is attractive to Sahelian governments because it comes with fewer political conditions,” says Ibrahim Touré, a Bamako-based Lawyer to TruthNigeria. “Unlike Western powers that demand democratic reforms and human rights commitments, China emphasizes its policy of non-interference in internal affairs.”
The stakes are high. Jihadist violence in the Sahel has led to the death of thousands and the displacement of millions of people since 2020, with attacks spilling into coastal West Africa. If China’s security aid fails to stem the tide, its reputation as a reliable partner could crumble.
Economic Inroads and the Resource Curse
China’s economic footprint in the Sahel is already vast. Through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Beijing has financed highways, railways, and ports, including Nigeria’s $1.3 billion Lagos-Ibadan railway. These projects, often backed by loans, bind recipient nations to Chinese creditors—a dynamic critics liken to “debt-trap diplomacy.”
The Dark Side: Illegal Mining and Environmental Degradation
Behind the gleaming infrastructure projects lies a more troubling reality: China’s growing involvement in illegal mining operations across the Sahel, particularly in Nigeria. In Nigeria’s northwestern states, Chinese nationals have been implicated in illegal gold mining that has devastating environmental consequences and fuel insecurity.
“Chinese illegal mining operations in northern Nigeria have created a perfect storm of environmental degradation and security challenges,” Dr. Walid Abdullahi, an environmental security expert based in Birnin-Kebbi, tells TruthNigeria. “These operations often involve local criminal networks and fund non-state armed groups, creating ungoverned spaces where terrorists can thrive.”
“Chinese middlemen buy gold from bandits and other terrorist gangs laundering conflict minerals into global markets. This isn’t just exploitation—it’s fueling the very violence Beijing claims to oppose,” Abdullahi said.
Nigeria’s BRICS Move: A Wake-Up Call for Washington
In January 2024, Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and a longstanding U.S. ally, announced its bid to join BRICS,(Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates) the China-led bloc of emerging economies. The move, framed by President Bola Tinubu as a quest for “multipolarity,” signals Abuja’s frustration with Western-dominated financial institutions such as the IMF.
“BRICS offers access to alternative funding and markets,” explains Kaduna-based economist Esther Goshen to TruthNigeria. “For Nigeria, drowning in $100 billion debt, it’s a lifeline. But the decision may have rattled Washington,” according to Goshen
Still, U.S. options are limited. Sanctioning Nigeria risks pushing it further into Beijing’s orbit, yet doing nothing undermines America’s waning influence. “The Sahel is a litmus test for U.S. diplomacy,” says Dr Dialo. “Can the US offer a compelling alternative to China’s model?” Dialo asks.
Conclusion: A New Cold War in the Sahel?
China’s Sahelian ambitions are not without limits. Its security role remains peripheral compared to Russia’s Wagner Group, which has 1,000 mercenaries in Mali. Moreover, anti-Chinese sentiment is rising in Nigeria and Ghana over illegal mining and labor abuses.
Yet, Beijing’s long game is clear: leverage economic clout to secure resources and diplomatic allies. As the West retreats, the Sahel has become a theater for 21st-century great power rivalry, one where China appears to hold the advantage.
“The Sahel isn’t just about counterterrorism anymore,” concludes Diallo. “It’s about who gets to write the rules of the new world order. And right now, China is holding the pen.”
Steven Kefas is a conflict report who writes for TruthNigeria.
