Niger

26.2

Population 2022 (Millions)

0.40

HDI Score
2021 (Max. 1)

48.3

SDG Score
2023
(Max. 100)

0.61

Gender Inequality
Index Score
(Max. 1)

N/A

Internet Inclusivity
Index 2022
(100 countries)

Sources: 1. World Bank (2022), 2, UNDP (2021), 3. Sustainable Development Report (2023), 4. UNDP (2021), 5. Economist Impact (2022)

Overview

As a landlocked Western African country, Niger is characterized by two main regions, the southern savannah (where the majority of the population resides) and the northern desert. With the main economic activities being agriculture and mining, Niger remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with nearly half of the population living in extreme poverty. In addition to high-poverty rates, the country faces many additional challenges, including extremely high infant mortality, susceptibility to climate change, and a poorly diversified economy. Niger, due to its location, is also called upon to host refugees from neighboring countries, putting further strain on already limited resources.

Projects

In partnership with the UNDP Regional Office and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), DPA and ADE conducted assessments of the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 and the role of disaster risk governance (DRG) in seven countries of the Western Sahel and Lake Chad Basin (Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal). The study analyzed the impacts of the pandemic on macroeconomic health, human development, political governance, peace, and social cohesion, as well as the role of DRG institutions at the regional and national levels. The assessment utilized mixed methods with qualitative and quantitative data collection to produce seven country-level analyses, a regional comparative study, and a policy brief.

This evaluation, developed in collaboration with ADE, examined the extent to which WFP effectively and efficiently deployed the most appropriate Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), and how, why, and under which conditions the use of these technologies contributed to management and program objectives. The team designed a mixed-methods approach consistent with WFP’s proposed analytical framework and outlined the factors affecting technological innovation and diffusion. Additionally, six case studies were conducted in Jordan, Niger, Iraq, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Bangladesh.