Niger
Niger exhibits mid-range performance in three categories of the Global State of Democracy Framework(Rights, Participation, and Rule of Law) but is in the low range with regard to Representation. It is among the bottom 25 per cent of countries with regard to several aspects of Representation, Rights and Participation. As a result of the coup d'état in July 2023 that deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, Niger has experienced significant declines in nearly all factors in Representation, as well as in Political Equality. Niger is a major global uranium exporter, but as a low-income country, its economy remains heavily dependent on subsistence agriculture. Persistent security threats continue to undermine Niger’s economic performance, disrupting education, markets, and basic services—contributing to chronic poverty. Extreme weather has further weakened agricultural output.
Present-day Niger was long-inhabited by the nomadic Tuareg of the Sahara and agricultural communities in the south. It became part of French West Africa in the 19th century and gained independence in 1960. The country has experienced five coups since independence. Once France’s favoured counter-terrorism partner in the Sahel, Niger expelled French troops in December 2023 following growing anti-French sentiments after the 2023 coup. Since the military takeover, civic and political space has narrowed: international media outlets have been suspended, civil society and humanitarian activity restricted, and political opponents targeted. In early 2025, the junta dissolved all political parties and adopted a flexible five-year transition plan that permits coup leaders to contest future elections. Although some political prisoners have been released, including opposition members, former President Bazoum and other key figures remain in detention.
Niger’s population is ethnically diverse and comprises the Hausa, Songhai, Tuareg, Fulani, and Kanuri people. The country has previously been recognized for integrating marginalized groups, particularly through parliamentary representation guarantees and decentralizing some adminstrative functions. Nevertheless, persistent insecurity continues to erode institutional effectiveness.
Niger faces significant threats from jihadist groups operating across its western and southeastern borders, including the Islamic State in the Sahel Province, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimeen, Boko Haram, and the Islamic State West Africa Province. Their presence has triggered a major security and humanitarian crisis. Local communities have sometimes formed self-defence militias, which have in turn been implicated in inter-communal violence. Regional instability has also driven hundreds of thousands of refugees into Niger, mainly from Mali and Nigeria, further straining limited resources.
Gender inequality remains pervasive, including continued instances of slavery reportedly driven by poverty. Sex trafficking is widespread, and Niger continues to grapple with high rates of child marriage and poor access to reproductive healthcare, though legal reforms since 2019 have sought to address these issues. In 2023, Niger amended its Penal Code to further criminalise same-sex relations and outlaw advocacy for LGBTQIA+ rights.
Looking ahead, Niger’s trajectory will depend on the credibility of its transition to civilian rule and the handling of persistent insecurity and poverty that leave its population battling to meet their basic needs. Key areas to monitor include Free Political Parties and Elected Government, given the adoption of a minimum five-year transition plan. Personal Integrity and Security and Basic Welfare will also be important to monitor in light of ongoing conflict and widespread poverty, which continues to constitute the main drivers of politics in the Sahelian state.
Last updated: June 2025
https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/
September 2025
Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali announce withdrawal from the International Criminal Court
On 22 September, the military governments of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali jointly announced their immediate withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling it an ‘instrument of neo-colonial repression’. While the withdrawal will only take legal effect after one year, human rights groups warn the move significantly weakens access to justice, especially as credible domestic mechanisms for investigating atrocity crimes are lacking. The announcement follows a series of joint withdrawals by the three countries, including their coordinated exits the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January 2025. ICC investigations into alleged war crimes in Mali are ongoing, and victims’ groups in Burkina Faso and Mali have recently filed complaints implicating national armies and foreign mercenaries in serious abuses. The three governments say they will instead pursue ‘indigenous mechanisms’ for justice, though observers say such systems do not yet exist in practice, raising concerns of rising impunity.
Sources: Bèki Takè, British Broadcasting Corporation, Human Rights Watch, United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, Radio France Internationale, International Federation for Human Rights
August 2025
Justice sector unions dissolved amid growing restrictions
On 7 August, Interior Minister Gen. Mohamed Toumba signed decrees dissolving four major justice sector unions: the Autonomous Union of Magistrates (Syndicat autonome des magistrats, SAMAN), the Independent Union of Magistrates of Niger (Syndicat indépendant des magistrats du Niger, SIMAN), the National Union of Justice Agents (Syndicat national des agents de justice, SNAJ) and the Union of Executives and Technical Agents of the Ministry of Justice (Syndicat des cadres et des agents techniques du Ministère de la Justice, SYNCAT). The Justice Ministry said the unions had ‘deviated’ from their mission and promoted private interests, while SAMAN condemned the move as ‘arbitrary’ and pledged to challenge it in court. The decision sparked a two-day lawyers’ strike and drew criticism from local bar associations and international rights groups, which warned it undermines judicial independence and freedom of association.
Sources: The Government of Niger, International Crisis Group, Jeune Afrique, Radio France Internationale, Human Rights Watch
June 2025
Niger installs a transitional advisory council to replace dissolved parliament
On 28 June, Niger’s transitional authorities officially installed a transitional advisory council (Conseil Consultatif de la Refondation, CCR), a 194-member body of civilians and military officials tasked with advising the junta on national issues. The council will be in place for the next five years. The CCR replaces the National Assembly, which was dissolved following the July 2023 coup, but it holds no legislative power. Created by decree in April and convened by President Abdourahamane Tiani, the CCR may issue recommendations or proposals but only at the discretion of the executive. Its members were appointed either directly by the Head of State or designated to represent Niger’s eight administrative regions (Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey, Tahoua, Tillabéri, and Zinder), with all appointments ultimately confirmed under the authority of the transitional regime.
Sources: Jeune Afrique, Agence Nigérienne De Presse, West Africa Democracy Radio, Sahelien, Constitution Net
April 2025
Junta releases detainees, but Bazoum and others remain jailed
On 1 April, Niger’s military junta released around 50 individuals detained following the July 2023 coup, including former ministers, a diplomat, a journalist, and soldiers accused in a past coup attempt. However, prominent figures such as ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife remain in detention, despite international and domestic appeals for their release. The releases followed February recommendations from a national conference, but critics say they fall short of addressing wider rights concerns. Civil society groups, including the National Alliance for the Defence of Freedoms (l’Association Nigérienne de Lutte contre la Corruption, ANLC), have condemned ongoing politically motivated detentions and called for the release of all political prisoners. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has also urged the immediate release of Bazoum and his wife, stating their continued detention violates international law.
Sources: ActuNiger, Human Rights Watch (1), Human Rights Watch (2), France 24, British Broadcasting Corporation, International IDEA
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