# Niger (NE)

**Capital:** Niamey  
**Currency:** CFA franc BCEAO (XOF) (XOF)  
**Population:** 27,032,412 — Older stored figure; source year not documented.  
**Area:** 1,267,000 km²

> Niger is a landlocked Sahel country in West Africa with no seaport of its own; overseas trade runs through corridors to the ports of Cotonou (Benin), Lomé (Togo), Tema (Ghana) and Abidjan. Road transport dominates and there is no commercial rail service. Key exports are uranium, gold and, since 2024, crude oil via the Agadem-Sèmè pipeline to Benin. Imports are subject to 19 per cent VAT and the UEMOA/ECOWAS common external tariff (0 to 35 per cent); since the ECOWAS exit (AES) a 0.5 per cent confederal levy also applies to imports from outside the bloc. Customs are processed via SYDONIA World and the single window GUCE. Political instability and the Benin border closed since 2023 shape the situation.

Niger (ISO code NE) is a landlocked state in the West African Sahel, bordering Algeria, Libya, Chad, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali. The capital is Niamey, the official language French and the currency the CFA franc BCEAO (XOF), pegged to the euro. The economy relies on uranium, gold, livestock and agriculture; since 2024 Niger has also exported crude oil through the roughly 1,950-kilometre pipeline from the Agadem basin to the Sèmè-Kpodji terminal in Benin. As a landlocked country without its own seaport, Niger depends on transit corridors to the ports of Cotonou (Benin), Lomé (Togo), Tema (Ghana) and Abidjan; road transport dominates and there is no commercial rail service. Imports are subject to 19 per cent VAT and the UEMOA/ECOWAS common external tariff with rates from 0 to 35 per cent. On 29 January 2025 Niger, together with Mali and Burkina Faso, left ECOWAS and formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES); since 28 March 2025 the AES states levy a 0.5 per cent confederal charge on imports from third countries. Customs are cleared electronically via SYDONIA World and the single window GUCE. Political instability after the 2023 coup, the tense security situation in the Sahel and the Benin border closed since 2023 shape logistics; a reopening of the border is under negotiation in 2026.

**Top Import Partners:** CN, FR, NG, BE, TR

**Top Export Partners:** FR, CN, NG, GH, IT

**Top Import Goods:** Petroleum products, Machinery, Vehicles, Food, Chemicals

**Top Export Goods:** Uranium, Gold, Crude oil, Livestock, Agricultural products

**Key Airports:**
- [Diori Hamani International Airport (NIM)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/diori-hamani-international-airport-nim)
- [Mano Dayak International Airport (AJY)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/mano-dayak-international-airport-ajy)
- [Maradi Airport (MFQ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/maradi-airport-mfq)
- [Tahoua Airport (THZ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/tahoua-airport-thz)
- [Zinder Airport (ZND)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/zinder-airport-znd)
- [Arlit Airport (RLT)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/arlit-airport-rlt)
- [Bilma Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/bilma-airport-3589)
- [Diffa Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/diffa-airport-drzf)
- [Dirkou Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/dirkou-airport-drzd)
- [Dogondoutchi Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/dogondoutchi-airport-drrc)

## Customs & Import

**Import VAT:** Standard VAT rate of 19 percent on imports (customs value plus duty)  
**Customs complexity:** High  
**Customs system:** Electronic clearance via SYDONIA World (ASYCUDA/UNCTAD) and the Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur (GUCE); customs value based on transaction value (CIF).  
**Customs authority:** [Direction Générale des Douanes (DGD), Ministry of Finance](https://finances.gouv.ne)

## Logistics & Risk

**Logistics role:** Sahel landlocked country; uranium and raw materials exporter; transit via West African ports  
**Economic area:** UEMOA / AES (Alliance of Sahel States); ECOWAS withdrawal 2025  
**Logistics risk:** High  
**Dangerous goods relevance:** medium (fuels, uranium and raw materials)  
**Pharma/cold chain:** low to medium

## FAQ

### Which import tax applies in Niger?

VAT on imports is charged at the standard rate of 19 percent, calculated on customs value plus duty. Exempt items include medicines, rice, and sorghum and maize flour.

### What are the import duty rates?

Niger applies the common external tariff of UEMOA and CEDEAO with five bands: 0, 5, 10, 20 and 35 percent depending on the product category. In addition, since 28 March 2025, the AES confederal levy of 0,5 percent applies to imports from third countries.

### Does Niger have its own seaport?

No. Niger is a landlocked country. Overseas trade runs via transit corridors to the ports of Cotonou (Benin), Lomé (Togo), Tema (Ghana) and Abidjan. Lomé has gained importance as an alternative since the border with Benin was closed.

### How is customs clearance carried out in Niger?

The Direction Générale des Douanes processes imports and exports electronically via SYDONIA World (ASYCUDA) and the Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur. The customs value is determined based on the transaction value (CIF).

### What does ECOWAS withdrawal mean for trade with Niger?

Niger left ECOWAS on 29. January 2025, together with Mali and Burkina Faso, and forms the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). However, Niger remains a member of UEMOA and keeps the XOF. Goods from AES states are exempt from the confederal levy.

### Is the border between Niger and Benin open?

The land border has been closed since 2023 for security reasons; trade flows are restricted. In 2026 both countries are negotiating a gradual reopening. The Cotonou corridor and the oil pipeline remain strategically important.

### Which currency applies in Niger?

Niger uses the CFA franc BCEAO (XOF), which is pegged to the euro (1 euro = 655,957 XOF). The currency is issued by the Central Bank of the West African States (BCEAO).

### What special rules apply to uranium exports?

Uranium is safeguarded nuclear material and requires special permits. Since 2024/2025 there have been disputes over the SOMAIR mine between Niger and Orano, including an ICSID order from September 2025.

## Sources & Last Verified

- [https://finances.gouv.ne](https://finances.gouv.ne)
- [https://finances.gouv.ne/index.php/direction-services/administration-centrale/les-directions-generales/la-direction-generale-des-douanes-dgd](https://finances.gouv.ne/index.php/direction-services/administration-centrale/les-directions-generales/la-direction-generale-des-douanes-dgd)
- [https://finances.gouv.ne/index.php/une/391-mise-en-application-de-la-valeur-transactionnelle-sur-le-cordon-douanier](https://finances.gouv.ne/index.php/une/391-mise-en-application-de-la-valeur-transactionnelle-sur-le-cordon-douanier)
- [https://service-public.ne/fr/demarche/la-taxe-sur-la-valeur-ajoutee-ou-tva](https://service-public.ne/fr/demarche/la-taxe-sur-la-valeur-ajoutee-ou-tva)
- [https://guce.gouv.ne/trade-server/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/brochure_tec_der_170117.pdf](https://guce.gouv.ne/trade-server/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/brochure_tec_der_170117.pdf)
- [https://asycuda.org/en/usercountries-niger/](https://asycuda.org/en/usercountries-niger/)
- [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niger%E2%80%93Benin_Oil_Pipeline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niger%E2%80%93Benin_Oil_Pipeline)
- [https://www.ecofinagency.com/public-management/3103-46566-aes-introduces-0-5-import-tax-to-fund-operations-and-projects](https://www.ecofinagency.com/public-management/3103-46566-aes-introduces-0-5-import-tax-to-fund-operations-and-projects)

*Last verified: 2026-06-26*

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*Freight Academy — Country Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ne](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ne)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/ne](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/ne)*