Niger

Niger is a low-income country. Although it is a major global uranium exporter, most of the population is still dependent on subsistence agriculture. Niger’s politics are driven by major security challenges – including terrorism and militia attacks against civilians – and poverty. The country has also experienced five coups since independence from France. 

Present-day Niger was long-inhabited by the nomadic Tuareg of the Sahara and the agriculturalists of the south. The country became part of French West Africa in the 19th century, and it secured its independence in 1960. Niger maintains close ties with France, and the country is France’s favoured counter-terrorism security partner in the Sahel. However, protests resisting the French presence have occurred, including in the aftermath of the 2023 coup, indicating widespread disapproval of the official state position. 

Niger is ethnically diverse and consists of the Hausa, Songhai, Tuareg, Fulani, and Kanuri groups. Niger has been celebrated for successfully addressing decades of unrest from (mainly Tuareg-led) armed groups by improving minority group representation in government. The country has done so by guaranteeing parliamentary representation to all ethnic groups and by decentralizing some administrative functions. 

Nevertheless, Niger is vulnerable to terrorism from outside the country as a result of porous borders and internal terrorism due to a lack of economic opportunities. As a result, the jihadist groups operating in the Sahel have caused a major security and humanitarian crisis in Niger. Attacks have promoted local communities to form self-defence militia, which have also been accused of participating in inter-communal conflicts. Regional insecurity has also driven hundreds of thousands of refugees to Niger, mainly from Mali and Nigeria, further straining resources.  

Insecurity has hampered Niger’s economic performance by disrupting education, markets, and basic services.  Extreme weather conditions have negatively impacted agricultural production and are estimated to cause a loss of up to 3 per cent of GDP growth, acting as a major development hurdle for Niger. Gender inequality is also a concern, especially in relation to the persistent practice of slavery, which is said to be sustained by the high rates of poverty in the country. In addition, sex trafficking is widespread, and the availability of family planning services is poor. 

Going forward, much will depend on the transition to civilian rule in the aftermath of the 2023 coup. In addition to all factors of Representation, it will be important to watch Rights, especially in light of the history of severely curtailed human rights in an environment marked by violent extremism, as well as by the imposition of states of emergencies in several regions. Simultaneously, the extreme poverty levels that leave its population battling to meet their basic needs is a major concern. As a result of these factors, Fundamental Rights and Social Group Equality should be watched moving forward. Security and poverty issues continue to constitute the main drivers of politics in the Sahelian state.