Niger

29 April 2025

On 20 April 2025, Algerian authorities expelled more than 1,100 migrants – one of the largest single expulsions in recent years. The number of deportations reached nearly 4,000 that month in Assamaka. These expulsions are part of a longstanding trend, with over 30,000 expulsions recorded in 2024. The migrants are often left in the desert, without food or water, and must walk for hours to the IOM transit centre in Assamaka town. This journey is even more difficult because the temperature can reach over 40° C in the desert. Migrants often arrive in extremely vulnerable conditions, with urgent needs for food, shelter, medical care, and protection. In Assamaka, the limited infrastructure for basic social services struggles to meet the needs of both community members and stranded migrants. Migrants hosted in camps describe difficult living conditions, including overcrowding, inadequate resources, long registration delays, and lack of food. (IOM 21/04/2025, IOM 16/04/2025, RFI 24/04/2026)

28 August 2024

In the past three months, Niger has experienced its most severe flooding since 2020, affecting over 353,000 individuals and damaging 46,525 households by 20 August 2024. The floods have resulted in 217 fatalities and 200 injuries, with significant destruction to infrastructure and agriculture. Between 6 May and 16 August, the floods destroyed approximately 3,800 hectares of arable land, along with over 16,766 livestock. The southern regions, particularly Maradi, Tahoua, and Zinder, have been the hardest hit in terms of affected people and damaged houses. By 27 August, the capital city, Niamey, was still nearly isolated since 22 August as a result of rising floodwaters submerging major roads, with residents relying on canoes for transportation. During the continuing rainy season, the urgent needs of affected populations include essentials such as blankets, mats, soap, and mosquito nets. (CARE 23/08/2024, IFRC 20/08/2023, Qiraat African 27/08/2024)

30 July 2024

Heavy rains affecting Niger since June 2024 have caused flooding, leading to casualties and damage. By 22 July, the impact had affected at least 37,900 people, killed another 53, destroyed 1,626 houses and 29 schools, and led to the loss of 10,930 heads of livestock. Such events are aggravating the existing humanitarian crisis in the country, which already had over 4.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including over 864,600 displaced people, by 8 December 2023. Food insecurity also persists in the country, with Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes expected in Diffa, Maradi, Tahoua, and Tillabéri regions from June–September 2024. (ECHO 25/07/2024, Humanitarian Action 08/12/2023, FEWS NET 10/07/2024)

30 April 2024

Between 15–17 April 2024, 600 people (90 households), mainly women and children, fled their houses in the village of Dibblo in Kokorou municipality and found shelter in Tera municipality in Tillabéri region. These displacements occurred following a non-state armed group attack on 15 April that killed 13 people. Such incidents have displaced over 30,000 people since the beginning of the year and pose protection issues for civilians in the region. (OCHA 29/04/2024, Journal du Niger 16/04/2024)

09 January 2024

From 5–6 January 2024, drone strikes by the Nigerien army killed an unknown number of civilians in Tiawa village, Tillabéri region. The incident adds to a series of violence against civilians, most of which are attributed to non-state armed groups in the region. In November 2023, the incidence of civilian kidnappings and killings increased compared to previous months. Insecurity has weakened social cohesion in the region and resulted in reprisals and serious violations, taking the number of departments with a very high severity level of protection needs from 5 to 10 between 2022–2023. From January–September 2023, 18% of the reported cases of gender-based violence took place in Tillabéri region, with actual figures probably higher given the underreporting of cases. Women and children are among the groups most affected by protection incidents. (UNHCR 19/12/2023, RFI 07/01/2024, Protection Cluster 30/11/2023)

29 August 2023

As at 21 August, over 88,000 people have been affected by seasonal floods across Niger. At least 32 people have died, and 35 were injured. The floods have also caused the collapse of more than 7,800 houses and the death of over 3,000 livestock. Maradi is the most impacted region, with nearly 29,000 people affected so far. Most urgent needs include shelter and NFIs. The number of affected people is likely to increase significantly since the heaviest rainfall is expected in late August or early September. An estimated 300,000 people are expected to be affected between July–September, with Dosso, Maradi, and Zinder at higher risk of flooding. Crop losses in damaged fields, property destruction, and loss of animals will contribute to worsening food insecurity. Stagnant and polluted waters also bring increased risks of waterborne diseases such as cholera. (OCHA 24/08/2023, ANP 24/08/2023, IFRC 21/08/2023)

23 March 2023

Since the beginning of 2023, more than 20,000 people have been displaced in several departments of Tillabéri and Tahoua regions, with people fleeing incursions, extortion, kidnappings for ransom, killings, and cattle thefts by non-state armed groups. The most urgent needs for the newly displaced include food, WASH, shelter and NFIs, healthcare, protection, and education.

Insecurity continues to limit access to schooling in both regions, which are the most affected by school closures in Niger. As at December 2022, 780 schools were closed in Tillabéri and 32 in Tahoua, respectively affecting more than 68,000 and 2,900 students. School closures particularly affect children who do not have access to alternative learning modalities – that is, those living in remote areas or areas not accessible by humanitarian organisations because of insecurity. Out-of-school children are exposed to protection risks, such as child labour, forced marriages, and, in conflict zones, recruitment into non-state armed groups. (OCHA 23/03/2023), (ANP 17/02/2023), (Education Cluster et al. accessed 28/03/2023), (OCHA 06/01/2023)