The appointment of China’s new defence attaché to Niger signals a larger move by Beijing to fortify security in Africa, experts say.

Gyude Moore, a policy fellow at the Washington-based Centre for Global Development and a former -minister in Liberia, said the China-Niger oil deal "is not a departure from Chinese practice".

The withdrawal of U.S. and French military forces from Niger presents a unique opportunity for China to expand its military influence in the region.