• The Alliance of Sahel States plans to create a joint purchasing agency covering Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
• The initiative aims to regulate cereal markets, build a shared grain reserve, and strengthen food security.
• National grain agencies have already signed a cooperation agreement as a first operational step.

Member states of the Alliance of Sahel States are working to create a confederation-wide purchasing agency. Malian President Assimi Goïta announced the initiative on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, during the presentation of his one-year record as head of the Confederation of Sahel States.

The planned purchasing agency will cover the three AES member countries: Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Authorities expect the structure to contribute to better regulation of cereal markets, the creation of a confederation-level grain reserve, and stronger food security across the AES area.

Moreover, the establishment of this body will create a common framework to coordinate public procurement policies more effectively. The mechanism will also improve import planning and enable joint management of needs, particularly during periods of market stress.

An agreement between grain agencies as a first step

The AES purchasing agency project remains in a structuring phase. At this stage, authorities continue to examine its legal form, ownership structure, governance arrangements, the list of products under management, and the possible existence of import monopolies for certain goods.

While the formal creation of the agency remains pending, stakeholders reached a first milestone on December 17, 2025, in Niamey. Mali’s Office des Produits Agricoles (OPAM) signed a partnership agreement with Niger’s Office des Produits Vivriers (OPVN) and Burkina Faso’s National Company for the Management of Food Security Stocks (SONAGESS).

These public entities manage cereal purchases and strategic food reserves in their respective countries. The agreement lays the groundwork for a shared economic and logistical tool, which authorities expect to transform the management of strategic food commodities across the Sahel region.

The creation of a purchasing agency does not represent an isolated move on the continent. Gabon announced the establishment of a national purchasing agency following the Council of Ministers meeting on August 12, 2025. The structure will operate as a joint-stock company, with the state holding 37% and national distribution operators owning 63%. The Ministry of Economy and Finance will provide technical oversight.

The Gabonese agency will handle the purchase, storage, transport, and distribution of essential goods, ranging from food products to construction materials. The agency will hold import monopolies on about 50 products and aims to stabilize prices, secure supply chains, and import directly from international producers.

According to the Gabonese Press Agency, the structure will become operational in January 2026, with the arrival of the first shipments. The Gabonese example provides a benchmark for the AES as the Sahel Confederation advances toward defining its own purchasing agency model.

This article was initially published in French by Chamberline MOKO

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum