Souley Abdoulaye

Souley Abdoulaye (born 1965) is a Nigerien politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Niger from 28 September 1994 to 8 February 1995. He later served in the government under President Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara as Minister of Transport from 1996 to 1997 and then as Minister of the Interior, in charge of police and internal security, from 1997 to 1999.

Minister of Trade, Transport, and Tourism

A member of the Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama (CDS), Abdoulaye was named Minister of Trade, Transport, and Tourism on 23 April 1993, part of the government of the Alliance of the Forces of Change (AFC), a coalition of parties that included the CDS, under Prime Minister Mahamadou Issoufou. This followed the victory of Mahamane Ousmane, the CDS leader, in the second round of the presidential election in March. Abdoulaye was considered close to Ousmane, serving as his campaign manager and as the treasurer of the CDS.

As Minister of Trade, Transport, and Tourism, Abdoulaye participated in negotiations with Nigerian hijackers who had diverted a plane from Nigeria to Niamey in October 1993. Most of the passengers were released following negotiations, and the remainder were freed during a commando raid after Abdoulaye and fellow negotiators engaged in onboard negotiations and were able to assess the plane's interior.