Niger

Life in Niger

Niger is currently ranked 189 out of 191 countries and territories in the Human Development Index (HDI) and is one of the poorest and least developed places in the world.  An estimated 16.1 million people have insufficient food intake and nearly half of all children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition.  World Bank estimates 50.63% of the population of Niger lives below the International Poverty Line ($2.15 per day).

One of the largest land-locked countries in West Africa, the country takes its name from the Niger river. Over 80% of its land is located in the Sahara Desert, making it one of the world’s hottest nations.

Niger sits on some of the largest uranium deposits on the planet but is in great poverty and debt. The economy is based on subsistence agriculture and the export of raw commodities – main exports include oilseeds, mineral fuels and chemicals.  Niger’s short rainy season and the rate of growth in population are just some of the reasons for widespread hunger.

In Niger, an estimated 1.8 million children are out of school. Desperate children can resort to stealing food and are sent to overcrowded remand centers where they spend long periods awaiting trial. Many of these children have never even set foot in a classroom.

There is a gap between boys and girls accessing primary education, with net enrollments rates of 60.3% for boys, compared to 55% for girls in primary education.