Ensifer saheli is a nitrogen-fixing alphaproteobacterium in the family Rhizobiaceae, originally isolated from root nodules of Sesbania and Acacia legumes in Sahelian Africa. It forms effective symbioses with its legume hosts in nutrient-poor, semi-arid tropical soils, contributing to soil fertility in agriculturally marginal environments. Its name reflects its origin in the Sahel region.