Niger: Introduction

Niger is a low-income, landlocked country in Western Africa facing severe developmental challenges, ranking 189th out of 191 countries on the 2024 Human Development Index. The country is characterized by extreme heat and rainfall variability, with desertification and climate change increasing vulnerabilities. Politically, Niger has experienced a history of instability, most recently marked by a July 2023 military coup that deposed President Mohamed Bazoum. This shift led to the withdrawal of French and US military forces and Niger's exit from ECOWAS and the G5 Sahel to join the Alliance of Sahel States and the Confederation of Sahel States. Despite seeking new partners like Russia, China, and Türkiye, the security situation remains precarious due to Islamist insurgent activity and internal dissent from groups such as the Patriotic Liberation Front.

• Niger faces significant environmental vulnerabilities due to its location in one of the world's hottest zones, where climate change and desertification exacerbate socio-economic and political fragility.
• Following a military coup on 26 July 2023, Niger underwent a major geopolitical realignment, exiting ECOWAS and the G5 Sahel on 29 January 2025 to form the Alliance of Sahel States and the Confederation of Sahel States.
• The withdrawal of Western military support, including French troops by December 2023 and the closure of a US drone base in Agadez in August 2024, has created security gaps exploited by Islamist insurgents.
• Niger's developmental indicators are among the lowest globally, ranking 189th of 191 in the 2024 Human Development Index and 160th of 167 in the 2024 SDG index.

APA

le Roux, A., & McLachlan, D. T. (2026). Niger: Introduction. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=NE&topic=01-introduction

Chicago

le Roux, Alize, and Du Toit McLachlan. Niger: Introduction. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=NE&topic=01-introduction.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=le Roux |first1=Alize |last2=McLachlan |first2=Du Toit |title=Niger: Introduction |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=15 June 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=NE&topic=01-introduction |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{leroux2026niger, author = {le Roux, Alize and McLachlan, Du Toit}, title = {{Niger: Introduction}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=NE&topic=01-introduction}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }