Niger drops French place names to honour local heroes

Niger's military leaders have renamed streets and monuments with French colonial names, further distancing the country from its former colonial ruler, France.

Avenue Charles de Gaulle in Niamey is now named after Nigerien independence leader Djibo Bakary, and other monuments honor African figures like Burkina Faso's revolutionary Thomas Sankara.

This comes amid deteriorating relations with France following last year's coup, which ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

With French troops withdrawn and a new alliance with Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger’s symbolic break with its colonial past highlights its shift towards regional independence and defiance against foreign influence.