Hassoumi Massaoudou, a longtime collaborator of the Nigerien president and the Finance minister, has been replaced by Mamadou Diop, a government statement released Thursday night announced.According to the statement read on national television, it was proposed by the Prime Minister, that the head of state has endorsed the appointment of Diop as Finance minister.

Massaoudou, also the secretary general of the ruling Niger Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS,) has been a member of all the governments of President Issoufou.

According to sources close to the PNDS, he was sacked for failing to discipline the party ahead of the 2021 presidential polls.