NewStats: 3,259,802 , 8,170,929 topics. Date: Monday, 26 May 2025 at 03:54 AM 6l351p

Niamey, Niger — At a Niamey market, mother of five Rakia Abdou haggles hard for a sack of rice, a staple out of reach for many in Niger due to record inflation.

“The prices of local food are falling but those for imported products are still high,” she said at the Wadata market, lightly coated in dust carried by the wind of west Africa’s Harmattan dry season.

It is almost a year since the lifting of heavy sanctions on Niger imposed by regional West African bloc ECOWAS to protest the overthrow of civilian president Mohamed Bazoum in 2023.

But constantly changing prices mean that many of Niger’s 26 million inhabitants face the grim daily choice of having to adapt or even go without.

Four days after military officers seized power, the Economic Community of West African States slapped tough economic and financial measures on landlocked Niger, one of the world’s poorest countries.

Economist Abdallah Souleymane said the sanctions “completely disrupted the supply chains” and resulted in “difficulties with imports”.

There were “repercussions on the cost of many products, particularly food”, he added in an interview on national television.

Inflation in Niger peaked at a record high of 15.5 percent in June last year before falling towards the end of the year, data from the National Statistics Institute showed.

For 2025 to 2026, it is expected to remain high at 5.4 percent, according to World Bank projections.

Border closed, long detour

Trade unions say the main factor driving costs higher is the closure of the border with Benin, which has the closest port through which 80 percent of Niger’s freight transited.

Niger, which is battling jihadist violence, refuses to open its border with Benin, accusing it of harboring jihadist training camps — an accusation Porto Novo denies.

Niamey has found a workaround via the port of Lome in Togo.

But this forces thousands of trucks to make a long detour and cross eastern Burkina Faso, running through a region also plagued by deadly jihadist attacks.

The new routes entail higher costs that are ed on to customers in the prices of essential necessities.

“It takes two to three months to get to Niamey, we have a lot of costs and there is the risk of attacks despite the military escorts,” Ghanaian driver Idrissou Issoufou told AFP.

He is a regular among the truck convoys and describes the journey as nothing short of an “ordeal”.

Another possibility for bringing in goods is by river.

While the land border with Benin is officially closed, some merchandise still crosses the Niger River separating the two countries — although it is not an ideal solution.

“From Benin, we bring products into Niger on the river, but it costs us a lot of money,” Salamatou Gna, a Beninese trader in Niamey, grumbled.

Changing habits

Previously, “with 10,000 CFA francs ($15.4, 15 euros) you could fill up your shopping basket. Today with the same amount, the basket is half empty,” Hadjia Hadjara said at another market.

“It’s no longer a question of preparing two large meals a day,” she said.

Mahaman Nouri, of the Association of Consumers’ Rights, said that many Nigeriens had been forced to change how they lived.

“To adapt, Nigeriens have completely changed their eating habits and are consuming (more) traditional dishes,” he added.

“I know many people who didn’t used to eat cornmeal but they have adapted. We need to return to local products,” he said.

To help ease the burden, Niger’s military-led government introduced measures including an unprecedented 50-percent cut in the cost of medical consultations and medical care for everyone.

Petrol, diesel and cement prices were also slashed as were customs duties.

Authorities organized the free distribution of food to the most vulnerable and special cut-price sales of grains.

In addition, the military rulers — who say restoring Niger’s national sovereignty is a priority — have banned the export of cereals notably to neighbor Nigeria to prevent shortages.

“Niger’s economy has shown resilience due in part to proactive measures taken by the authorities,” Han Fraeters, the World Bank’s country manager for Niger, said.

The measures have enabled public sector salaries to continue to be paid, he added.

Despite the difficult climate, the World Bank, which has resumed aid to Niger, forecasts that gross domestic product will expand by 6.5 percent on average in 2025 to 2026, largely due to agriculture and oil exports.

But, if inflation remains stubbornly high, nearly half of the population could be forced into extreme poverty by next year, the global lender warned.

Source: https://business.inquirer.net/501713/inflation-forces-nigeriens-to-adapt-what-they-eat

While many of you are struggling to eat and stay healthy, they're using your money to pay hordes of online miscreants and social media influencers to remind you about Jan 15, 1966.

Dry mouth everywhere.
Nigerians have suffered more than sufferness.

Dindondin:
Dry mouth everywhere.
Nigerians have suffered more than sufferness.

Same in Nigeria, most people are forced to eat whatever they can eat and not what they want to. May the good Lord save us all from poverty...

This country is a mess sometimes I try to consider leaving permanently but I don't just know. I have a feeling that the country might become good some day.

This gamble I hope it would be worth it.

Lol....I pray it doesn't get to this oneday.....where THEY get to see each other as barbecue..

The breeze of hunger dey blow everywhere. E no go better for our leaders. walai!

Hunger dey shaaa

Business both large,medium and small scale business are folding up
Transportation are high
Food stuffs don tire to treasure like dis

hunger forces Nigeria to eat what they desire not to eat.


APC after all the mouth and promises Buhari anf Tinubu and all their bandwagon made here we are with reality.

But they are not remorseful at all

I now check cheaper versions of beverages in the supermarket. Ebinpawa is real. Ebinpawa government. Elections have consequences. So always vote wisely like SE and SS.

This is talking about nigeria oh,but nigeriens.
Make una open eyes read well oh

dynicks:
Lol....I pray it doesn't get to this oneday.....where we get to see each other as barbecue..

when you think about all the foods we no longer eat easily again in many Nigerian homes, we are almost in the cannibal zone unless something is done quickly about food security.

AllBlack:


when you think about all the foods we no longer eat easily again in many Nigerian homes, we are almost in the cannibal zone unless something is done quickly about food security.

hahahahaha.....very shocking my brother.....

But this ain't about NIGERIANS BUT NIGERIENS

People are truly suffering and smiling in these economy of Nigeria, if nothing is done, millions of Nigeriens will cross into Nigeria and come far south meaning there will be great pressure on all ramifications in the southern part of Nigeria

People now cook soup with crayfish as meat

I knew that 99% of posters would not read the thread and would think the post is about Naija. To all posters: please o, it's about Niger Republic and not Naija!

Anyways:

It's still an avenue to remind you all that President Tinubu has less than 860 days to handover power to the next person.

EbinPawaGovt:
I now check cheaper versions of beverages in the supermarket. Ebinpawa is real

90% of all those crap you see in market as beverages are just chemical formulas that China has sold to these companies to help them increase profit without using original materials for actual production. How many of them buy cocoa for production? Also, don't forget the article that exposed the FAKE milk products being sold in Nigeria for years.
Too many lies in the food industry.

misreal:
This is talking about nigeria oh,but nigeriens.
Make una open eyes read well oh

Baba hunger don make people no dey see well again or even get the strength to read through ...... I guess hunger has been weaponized in this country...

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

Why did the democrats lose US election ?

Inflation majorly

It’s a global thing.

The earth resources are reducing and people are barely eating what they desire worldwide.

Not unique to Nigeria alone but more difficult in one clime than another. Not everyone can eat three square meals, even in the almighty US.

dynicks:
hahahahaha.....very shocking my brother.....

But this ain't about NIGERIANS BUT NIGERIENS

Is the reality far from what we are facing here? and YES I was talking about our very own NIGERIA

I wonder what that foodstuffs thieving individual has to say in all of this! Make he sha nor go thief foodstuffs for Niamey oooooo! Na instant lynching dem go just give am.
Hell-anus! your attention is needed here.

Obviously we don't read.. the post is talking about Niger (Nigeriens) not Nigeria!!!!!!

Make Una try dey read...

It is only temporary for them

MT:
Why did Joe Biden lose US election ?

Inflation majorly

It’s a global thing.
.

dem don come. this is always the default setting when it comes to how hunger and poverty is reducing the purchasing power of the people but it is never a global thing when good economy and financial empowerment is mentioned.
What we are facing in this country is not a result of multiple layers of calculated dishonesty and never ending bad leadership. It is A GLOBAL THING.

Over population will finish this country.

No Government including bastard APC can save you dem just wan chop their share

AllBlack:


dem don come

People are not allowed to challenge your flawed position.

You do not know it’s a global thing simply because you do not have awareness of happenings in the globe.

givedemwotowoto:
While many of you are struggling to eat and stay healthy, they're using your money to pay hordes of online miscreants and social media influencers to remind you about Jan 15, 1966.

Dindondin:
Dry mouth everywhere.
Nigerians have suffered more than sufferness.

The people from Niger are referred to as Nigerien (pronounced "nee-ZHER-yen". This demonym is derived from the French word for Niger, reflecting the country's colonial history as part of French West Africa. The term "Nigerien" is distinct in its spelling and pronunciation from "Nigerian," which refers to the people of Nigeria, a neighboring country to the south.

https://www.hotbot.com/answers/what-are-people-from-niger-called

Hnmmmm ! This Agbodorian don carry hunger killed more people than BOKO HARAM