Niger Boosts Stake in China-Backed Pipeline as Beijing Seeks to Secure Supply

Niger secured a stake in a China-backed oil pipeline after renegotiating export terms, as Beijing steps up efforts to secure reliable crude supplies amid global market disruptions.

The West African nation, which didn’t previously hold an effective share, will now hold 45% of the West African Oil Pipeline Co. that operates the Niger–Benin export route, according to a Foreign Ministry statement and state television. The country also secured a reduction in transport tariffs to $15 per barrel from $27, which officials estimate will save the government about $106 million a year.