The fallout from Niger’s CFPD battle: a power struggle measured in 1.8 billion FCFA a month
A fierce internal battle is reshaping Niger’s military leadership, and the fallout is now spilling into public debate and the country’s political outlook. At the heart of the fight is the Commandement des Forces de Protection et de Développement (CFPD), a security structure designed to guard strategic sites, and the huge monthly cash flow attached to it: 1.8 billion FCFA. The dispute pits General Salifou Mody, head of the Defence Ministry, against General Abdourahamane Tiani, who leads the CNSP, and Lamine Zeine, the former Finance Minister and Prime Minister. The question now is what comes next for the junta, the economy and the security apparatus.
Why the CFPD matters: strategic sites, big money and a decree
On 9 May 2024, General Abdourahamane Tiani signed decree No. 2024-309/P/CNSP/MDN, creating the Commandement des Forces de Protection et de Développement. The unit was tasked with protecting Niger’s strategic infrastructure: mining and oil installations, corridors and pipelines. The Defence Ministry confirmed the creation of the structure, which was meant to secure key sites and transport routes. In parallel, the recruitment of 10,000 young people in 2024 was intended to boost the ranks of the Nigerien armed forces. The project was framed as a security necessity and a way to support the military’s growing role.
Article 28 and the 1.8 billion FCFA figure
Article 28 of the decree set a Prime Unique d’Astreinte (PUA) of at least 12,000 FCFA per man per day, while also requiring companies benefiting from the security arrangements to contribute financially. For a force of 5,000 men, the numbers add up quickly:
- Per day: 5,000 men × 12,000 FCFA = 60 million FCFA.
- Per month (30 days): 1.8 billion FCFA.
- Per year: 21.9 billion FCFA.
These amounts represent the financial reality of the scheme, backed by contracts signed with companies, money actually paid and troops deployed. This is the core of the power struggle inside the regime.
Defence versus Finance: the fight that changed the government
General Salifou Mody pushed hard for the CFPD to be implemented. General Tiani signed the decree under direct pressure from his Defence Minister. But after signing, the CNSP leader ordered Finance Minister Lamine Zeine to block the financial provisions of the CFPD. The result: the structure existed on paper but was stripped of the means to operate. Mody’s project faced a direct political blockade.
By January 2026, Lamine Zeine was holding both the Prime Minister’s office and the Economy and Finance portfolio, while Salifou Mody served as Minister of State for Defence. Mody managed to strip Zeine of the Finance Ministry, then forced his departure from the Prime Ministership. The CFPD conflict had destroyed trust among the pillars of the regime.
Mody takes the reins: a new balance of power
The reshuffle of power hinged on Zeine’s exit. General Mody took over the government and imposed his own condition: holding both the Prime Minister’s post and the Defence Ministry. He thus concentrated political, military and administrative levers in his own hands.
Damolleydi: the second battle front
Faced with the CFPD blockage, the regime launched a general mobilisation called “Damolleydi” to bring together volunteers and existing structures. General Mody was put in charge of the committee overseeing this mobilisation, pushing aside General Mohamed Toumba, the Interior Minister. Mody ended up leading this strategic initiative but deliberately slowed its implementation. The scheme lost visibility, overtaken by autonomous local structures.
Control over people, missions and money
The affair locks the state apparatus around three key axes:
- Command: control over personnel assigned to strategic sites.
- Missions: deciding which infrastructure to secure and setting priorities.
- Money: control over contributing companies and management of the financial flows they generate.
Article 28 of the decree governs this financial mechanism, worth 1.8 billion FCFA per month.
What comes next: fallout, debate and the road ahead
The 1.8 billion FCFA monthly figure is the direct financial stake of the CFPD. It confirms the political dimension of the structure, sitting at the crossroads of strategic resources, contributing companies and the chain of command. Beyond the rivalry between Tiani, Mody and Zeine, the winner of this confrontation will hold exclusive control over Niger’s men, missions and resources. Behind the personal quarrels, what is really at stake is total control of the state apparatus.
For now, the fallout is clear: a government reshaped by the dispute, a security scheme whose funding remains contested, and a public debate about who really benefits from the CFPD’s 1.8 billion FCFA per month. The coming months will determine whether the new balance of power brings stability or simply shifts the struggle to a new front.
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