Niamey

Niamey, the capital of Niger, is a calm, fairly modern city of around 1.3 million (2020) on the banks of the Niger River surrounded by the Tillaberi region in the far southwest of Niger. It is the administrative, cultural and economic hub and hence generally offers good facilities for travellers, both budget and upmarket. Niamey offers unique open-air markets that are great for people watching; they’re patronized by members of the Tuareg, Sonuri and Fulani tribes, as well as wrestling, some beautiful views of the Niger river and the massive Grand Mosque.

History
The comparably fertile area around Niamey has been inhabited for millennia by tribes like the Gurma, also found in Burkina Faso, but the founders of the village would be the Maouri, who settled on an island called Neni Goungou facing the current Niamey in the late nineteenth century, before coming to settle on the left bank of the river. In 1898, the invading French found the village a suitable location for a military base and in 1905 the city, located in a stable region, became the capital of the Territoire Militaire du Niger (Military Territory of Niger). Niamey was inhabited by about 600 people in 1901 when missionaries arrived in the village and increased to nearly 2,000 after the arrival of the French and its establishment as the national capital. In 1911, the capital was transferred to the newly-stable and more hospitable location at Zinder. However, tensions grew with the British colony of Nigeria (very close to Zinder) and in 1928 the status of capital was transferred back to Niamey. By the time Niger became an independent country in 1960, the city's population had ballooned to 30,000. Niamey's population had risen to 750,000 by 2005, and its status as the most populous city in the country was secure.

Climate
Niamey has a hot and generally dry desert climate with a short rainy season from June to September when there can be severe thunderstorms with occasional flooding. Rains can be unpredictable though and sometimes the rainy season means just a few showers now and then.

As with much of West Africa, poor infrastructure leads to frequent flooding and miserable roads during the wet season, so it is best to avoid travel to Niamey from June–September (especially if travelling to nearby countries which receive even more rain).

Average annual rainfall is around 550mm. The coolest and driest (and arguably best) weather of the year is between December and January with averages of 34/15°C (93/57°F) and no rainfall. In October, November and February the weather is hotter and still dry with 38°C (100°F) in the afternoon and 18-23°C (64-73°F) at night. March to May are the hottest months of the year reach regularly 42°C (108°F) in the afternoon (although 45°C/114°F temps aren't uncommon) and a warm 27°C (80°F) at night; all three months can see just a few showers.

Orientation
The city is divided by the Niger River, which is spanned by the Kennedy Bridge and the Chinese Bridge. The southern side is entirely residential, with the exception of the university by the river (Gamkalle area), and of little interest to tourists. The northern side spreads out in all directions from the bridge. The limits of the "downtown" area seem to be Blv. de l'Indépendence and (further from the river) Blv. Mali Bero. Radiating from the "Place des Martyrs" at the end of the bridge:


 * Going left (northwest, Avenue François Mitterrand), you will head past the Hotel Gaweye and Palais du Congrès towards the areas known as Plateau/Issa Beri/Château 1 (Un) which are where the majority of governmental buildings, embassies (most along Rue des Ambassades), and upscale housing can be found. If you turn right at Place des Nations Unis, head straight through Place de la République, and reach Blv. de l'Indépendance, you will see the stadium to the right (opposite Place des Forces Démocratiques).
 * Going straight (northeast, Rue de Gaweye/Commerce/Kalley), you will head past the Assemblée Nationale (by Place de la Concorde) towards the Grand Marché. If you head around the GM, you will pass through the areas of Abidjan where the Grande Mosquée (at Place de la Grade Prière), Police, & Centre Culturel Oumarou Ganda are located. After Boulevard Mali Bero, you enter the "Dan Gao" area.
 * To the East (follow Rue du 1er Pont, Rue du Grand Hôtel, Ave. de l'Amitié) you will find the Nouveau Marché area, then heading NE along Ave. de L'oua/l'Entente you will pass through Sabon Gari & Poudrière areas (the Wadata handicrafts centre is on Blv. Mali Bero). If you continue straight along Ave. de l'Amitié through the Place de la Bienvenue, you will pass the race course and the road becomes Rue de l'Aéroport and leads past the airport and towards Koure (giraffes, see "Get out").
 * Going right (southeast, Rue de 1er Pont then Corniche Gamkalley), you will pass the Grand Hôtel and enter the Terminus and the Gamkalle Sebangaye areas.

There are few traffic lights. There are numerous roundabouts where traffic from several directions merge; these are known as "Place _____" and are chaotic during rush hour but calm most other times of the day. A few notable roundabouts are: "Place des Martyrs", "Place de la Concorde", "Place de la République", and "Place Mandela".

While most of roads (at least the main ones) have names, locals rarely refer to them by them and you're more likely to get directions by referring to a landmark (e.g., 2nd turn on the left from a junction).

International flights
The five major carriers serving Niamey are Air France (Paris-de Gaulle), Royal Air Maroc (Casablanca), Turkish Airlines (Istanbul) and Ethiopian airlines (Addis Ababa) and Air Algerie (Algiers). Several African airlines also serve the city. As of Jan 2023, these include Air Burkina (Ouagadougou); Tunisair (Tunis) Air Algérie (Algiers); ASKY Airlines (Cotonou, Lomé, Ouagadougou); Peace Air (Kano, Abuja); or Air Côte d'Ivoire (Abidjan).

Domestic flights
Niger Airlines operates flights from Zinder (ZDR), Agadez (AJY) and Diffa (DZRF) as of Mar 2020.

At the airport

 * Immigration/Customs: Upon arrival, you will disembark the plane, walk across the tarmac and enter the terminal building. If you have a visa, you fill out an entry card and pass through customs (remember to keep your yellow fever vaccine card to hand). If you do not have a visa, you will not get one at the airport. You will be put on the first plane out. If that is the following day, look forward to a night in the police station. Earlier, you could get a visa on arrival for €30 but not any more. After collecting your baggage, you enter the main arrival hall which will be filled with porters (see below) and if you have organized a tour which includes airport transfer you'll see signs for it here. From the arrival hall, simply exit to catch a taxi or bush taxi.
 * Airport porters: Porters in the airport are determined to try to help you carry your bags, even trying to take them from you, so hold on tight and continue to refuse politely if you don't want help. If you do want their help, tip CFA 1,000-2,000 or a couple of euros or US dollars.
 * Currency Exchange: you can change money at the airport but not at a good rate. Because the CFA franc is pegged to the euro, euros will get the best exchange rate. The US dollar and pound sterling (Bank of England banknotes only) can also be readily exchanged, but most other currencies will either get a bad rate or will be refused.
 * Flight confirmation
 * Shopping: A few shops open around the time of each flight, even in the early morning. Mostly food and drink, and a few small souvenirs.
 * Shopping: A few shops open around the time of each flight, even in the early morning. Mostly food and drink, and a few small souvenirs.
 * Shopping: A few shops open around the time of each flight, even in the early morning. Mostly food and drink, and a few small souvenirs.
 * Shopping: A few shops open around the time of each flight, even in the early morning. Mostly food and drink, and a few small souvenirs.

Between the airport and the city



 * Taxi: For a more comfortable welcome to Niger or if your flight comes in the middle of the night (like most Air France flights) you will have to bargain for a taxi into town, for a minimum of CFA 3,000 during the day & CFA 5,000 at night. If you have a night departure, don't forget to pre-arrange a taxi as there are very few on the streets at night. Most hotels can call a taxi for you.
 * Bush Taxi: During the day, simply walk out of the airport to the main road (Route Nationale 1) and flag down a bush taxi (van) heading right. They come by all the time. The price is fixed at CFA 125 per person, and no charge for bags. They will drop you off at the Grand Marché, and from there it is easy to get a white taxi (CFA 200-500/person) to anywhere else in town. To get back to the airport to fly out, go to the Grand Marché – Côté Château. There are two gas stations on the corner. In front of one you will see several bush taxis (vans) lined up facing away from the Grand Marché and towards the airport. Tell them “aéroport.” Again, it costs CFA 125 per person. The van usually fills up and leaves within 5 minutes. Get off in front of the airport and walk in. (If you’re not familiar with where the airport is, tell the man managing the van and he’ll let you know when it’s time for you to get off.) No tips required or expected.

By bus
Buses travel between Niamey and Cotonou in Benin, taking 14 hours for the journey. Crossing is at the Gaya/Malanville border where otherwise you can take a moto and walk across if you don't feel like doing the whole trip in one stage. There are also buses and minibuses to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, taking around 10 hours. Crossing is at Foetchango, west of Niamey. Finally, there is bus service between Niamey and Gao in Mali, taking up to 20 hours.

Buses and bush taxis connect Niamey to other destinations in Niger, including Zinder and Agadez.

There are regular attacks on the buses (and cars) around Burkina and Mali border (resulting in many fatalities), therefore the public transport on these routes should be absolutely avoided.

By boat
While the Niger River runs through the city and there are no impediments to river travel (rapids, waterfalls), there is no regular boat service like there is upstream in Mali. Many pirougue operators will gladly take you along the river for a reasonable price, but you will need to find one heading in your direction. Pirougues operate on erratic schedules, are both much slower and less comfortable than buses.

By car
There are several highways leading to Niamey.


 * To the northwest: A paved routes exists along the north side of the Niger connecting the city with Gao, Mali and which passes through Boubon, Farie, Tillaberi, & Ayorou. A less-travelled route on the south-side of the Niger in the same direction leads through several small towns towards Tera in the Liptano region.
 * To the southwest: A major highway leads to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso passing through the towns of Lamorde, Kobadie, & Torodi.
 * To the south: A highway leads to W National Park, passing through Boyenga & Say.
 * To the southeast: A major highway leads through Koure & Birni N'Gaoure to Dosso, where the major highway to Gaya & Benin heads south and the major highway to the eastern half of the country (Route Nationale 1) heads east.
 * To the northwest: A minor road leads to Route Nationale 1 at Dogondoutchi.
 * To the north: A minor road leads to Anderamboukane, Mali passing through Oullam & Bani Bangou.

By rail
A railway link between Niamey and Cotonou was planned and the construction started in 2015. However, the project quickly got to a halt and the tracks now lay abandoned between Niamey and Dosso. The project has been de facto abandoned due to legal issues. The original plan was to construct a railway loop linking Cotonou - Niamey - Ouagadougou - Abidjan. The railway station exists but is not operational nor accessible, is



Addresses
Street addresses were not devised until the 21st century for most West African cities. Niamey implemented one of the most efficient plans in the region between 2001-2002. The city has been divided into 44 sections (named and based largely on existing neighbourhoods) and each was given a two-letter prefix (for instance, "GM" for "Grande Marché"). Since the vast majority of roads lacked names, numbers were assigned to each road (even if it has a name); streets running roughly parallel to the river were assigned even numbers and cross-streets assigned odd numbers. Over 100,000 street signs were installed to denote these roads at intersections. Addresses were assigned by distance from the river, alternating even-odd on opposite sides of the street. Thus the address 4735, Rue GM 12, Niamey is located in the Grande Marche district on road 12 (which runs parallel to the river).

By taxi
Taxis (small white cars) are plentiful and easy to use. They are almost always shared (1 passenger in the front, 3 in the back) unless you ask specifically to pay more to make it private. There are a handful of places where taxis will queue for passengers (airport, grande marche, etc), but most of the time you just stick out your hand towards the traffic, maybe give a weak wave, and shout for "taxi" or "taximan". The rate for a shared taxi is fixed at CFA 200 per person. Through the open window, tell the driver your destination and if he nods, or stays there, you're good to go. It is better to give a section of the city or a major landmark as the destination than giving an address. If he drives off, he wasn't going near your destination; just hail the next taxi. For longer distances the taxi driver will indicate it is double (CFA 400) by saying quatre cent (French), deux courses (also French) or wah-haku (Djerma) before you get in the car. If in doubt, confirm the price beforehand, especially if you are white and take a taxi near a hotel.

The rate is CFA 800-1,000 if you want the taxi all for yourself. You should pay more only from bus station (CFA 500) and from the airport (CFA 3,000 or higher). Prices double after midnight. Oftentimes, taxis will wait outside hotels looking for passengers, usually they will try to charge more than the official rate or are only looking for single passengers (they won't stop for other passengers and will charge you accordingly)

By car
There is a Hertz car rental agency in Niger that rents Toyota RAV4. It is very expensive.

Talk
See also: French phrasebook and Zarma phrasebook.

French is spoken by most people in Niamey, albeit as a second language and with varying levels of fluency. French is the official language used by the government. In addition, Hausa and Zarma among others are national languages and official government announcements are translated into the national languages. French is spoken by the large French community as well as most other foreigners living in the city. The regional languages are Zarma and Hausa, although the city is home to many of the ethnic groups in Niger.

Music performances
The CCFN & CCOG (see above) frequently host concerts and with capacities of a few thousand, they can be quite lively. At the Centre Pour la Formation et Promotion Musicales (CFPM) there is a Rap Zone every Wednesday afternoon at 16:30. Often there are people just jamming underneath the trees. They sell instruments, and they give drum, dance, and guitar lessons. At the restaurant Djoumkoume in Chateau Un there is live music almost every night, starting around 20:00 or 21:00. Sometimes there is a CFA 1,000-2,000 entrance fee. To get there, take a taxi to Pharmacie Chateau Un. Then, instead of turning right to go to Idrissa Nems, turn left and you’ll see it on the left.

Along the river
If you have a friend with a vehicle or can rent one, you have several good options. Go to the Island Campement of Boubon, a half-hour drive up the Tillaberry Road. Cross the river for CFA 50/person and then on the island there’s a pleasant, reasonably-priced bar/restaurant. You can stay overnight in huts for CFA 5000. Another option is the Relais, a hotel campement on the river, open only on weekends. Just down from the Golf Club of Niamey on the Tillaberry road, they offer a reasonably-priced lunch, camel ride and pirogue trip; or just have a coke or beer and watch the river. The third option is Plage La Pillule, 10 km south of Niamey on the road to Say, just past the peage. Take water and lunch and rent out a shady spot in someone’s garden along the river. Canoe rides also available. Walk up the wash 2-3 km to the sand dunes. This “beach” is a favourite of well-off Niamey households.

River trips do not have to be expensive if you do not need to see hippos. Rent out a whole non-motorized canoe for about 1000F an hour on either side of the river. Expect to have to bargain more around the Kennedy bridge and the hotels. To see the hippos, one way to do it is with Les Pirogues de l’Amitié, run by Sani Boureima, 93-80-69-51. From Grand Hotel, walk towards river. Turn into the first side street on the left and then go through the metal gate doors. They speak French, Zarma, and Hausa, and a tiny bit of English. The boat is a motorized, covered pirogue. You will have to bargain really hard. His starting prices are CFA 25,000-30,000 for 2 hours to see the hippos, but some have got it down to 15,000 with bargaining and patience. The boat fits 10-12 people. A day-long trip is CFA 50,000. You can also do a 2-day boat trip for CFA 80,000, and you provide your own meals and camping stuff.

Grande Marché
One of West Africa's best, most diverse and calmest big markets. The market spans a wide spectrum of objects for sale, from retail goods and packaged foods to wholesale boxes of imported goods to hot, fresh meals. Narrow, shaded, aisles in a grid pattern contain a mix of fabric, tailors, household goods, sports apparel, automotive parts, flip-flops, head scarves, baby clothes and any manner of other goods. Goods and foods from around the country are offered for sale, and stalls offering imported items from West Africa and abroad are interspersed throughout.There's also a section devoted to handicrafts and traditional clothes, although other markets are as equally good or better to pick these. It was constructed in 1950 and rebuilt in 1987 after a fire (costing over CFA 5 billion), the Grand Market attracts an estimated 20,000 tourists a year. An electrical fire burnt over 1,500 of the stalls in 2009.



Petite Marché
The main fruit and vegetable market in the center of town, can be unpleasant due to hassle, harassment, pestering, crowds, and severely jacked-up prices for visitors. The "Supermarche Haddad" is set up like a Western supermarket and owned by Lebanese men and contains mostly imported European (which means expensive) packaged foods, meats sliced-to-order, alcohol, and health/beauty products. You can get many of the same fruits, vegetables, and some meats and durable goods from other calmer, more pleasant neighbourhood markets. However, the selection of speciality items and beauty products is good (cereals, cheese, cookies, etc.).

Other good markets
One of the cleanest and newest is the cobblestone-paved Marché Albarka, which is a good place for new visitors for a “market warm-up,” and there’s an air-conditioned SahelCom internet cafe outside (500F per hour, CFA 250 per half-hour). Another great one is Marché Bonkaney as this is friendly with a little bit of everything for sale. The Yantala market is pretty big and has a relaxed atmosphere. Nouveau Marché and Wadata Marché are other options. Wadatta has the added benefit of being next to the Wadata Artisanal Village as an alternative to the Musée as it is free to get in. Of course, at night, try the Marché de Nuit (aka Night Market) in Yantala. To get to each of these, just tell a taxi driver the name of the market.

Fabric-buying
As in other parts of West Africa, Niamey has a good selection of bright colourful pagne fabrics. Each pagne is 2 nm and it is generally sold in 3-pagne sets (in other words, 6 m.) Sometimes they will sell you either 1 pagne or two pagnes, but other times they will only sell in 3-pagne increments. There is a wide selection of pagnes (30 or more shops/stands) just 1/2 block down the street from the Porte Principal of the Grande Marché. 90 percent of them in that section cost CFA 5,000 for 3 pagnes. If you only want one pagne and they are willing to cut, it should cost CFA 2,000 for just the one. If it is ENITEX brand (made in Niger), it is a bit cheaper: 3 pagnes cost only CFA 4,000, or one for CFA 1,500. There are a few brands that are more than CFA 5,000 (CFA 7,000, CFA 12,500 and more) especially from shops within the Grande Marché.

Other stores and markets

 * Wadatta Artisanal Market: For slightly different goods and no entry fee, try this great location for your craft purchases.
 * Katako Marché: An interesting cross between a Super Target, Home Depot, and an industrial complex. Watch your pockets, but wander for cheap food, metal goods, wood, hardwares, magic ingredients (gri-gri), etc. It’s also interesting to watch the aluminium pots being poured.

Eat
Be sure to try all the local specialties rather than only sticking to ex-pat restaurants. Niamey food is incredible, unique and not-to-be-missed. You didn't come all this way to eat the same food you get at home.

Budget




Other food tips
almost across the street from the travel agency SatGuru, but further east.
 * Zenabou’s Dumbou Stand (I): The best street food in Niamey. It’s well worth the trip. Take a taxi to “Sonara Deux”, which is a tall 9-story building covered in tan crosses. If the taximan does not know it, say “Maternité Issaka Gazoby”, which is across the street. Alternately, you can walk from Petite Marché, past Rip-off Row, past La Cloche Restaurant, and keep going; Sonora Deux is the second tall building on your right. Wrap around the building to the front (walking towards the bridge). She has a yellow & red Maggi hangar on the right. Sit down on the wooden benches and when it’s your turn she’ll point to you and ask what you want. Expect around a 15-minute wait to be served as she is quite popular. Get the dumbou with everything. Dumbou is a popular speciality of Niger, consisting of corn couscous, steamed moringa greens, black-eyed peas, a tomato-squash sauce and spices. Women might get it for CFA 150 (waranza in Djerma) and men for CFA 200 (way-tachi in Djerma). Meat is extra but an incredible addition to the dumbou. Try the pounded/pileéd guinea fowl mixed with sesame and hot pepper, for CFA 100 (to say “meat for CFA 100” in Djerma, say “Ham, waranka”.) Careful, the pounded guinea fowl meat contains bones. Open M-F 12:30-16:30 or later. The guy with the cooler next to her has a gingery lemu-hari drink for CFA 50 (small) or CFA 100 (large), PureWater and yoghurts. Nice place to go if you are in the neighbourhood of Petite Marché or the Musée.
 * Nigerian Hot Pockets stuffed with curried mashed potatoes, and other goodies Take a taxi to Rond Point Liberté. Head north for 1/3 block and she is on the left, with the hot pockets displayed in a glass case, next to a tiny blue-painted shop. She is Nigerian and speaks English. Prices are cheap. This is a good place for a snack if you are at the Grand Marché. From the Grand Marché, go to Côté Maourey and walk down the road that goes towards the Stade. In a couple blocks you will see Pharmacie Liberté and the round point. She also has delicious fried dough cakes wrapped around hard-boiled eggs.


 * The Meat Sandwich Guy The meat sandwich guy is on the left Mali-Bero road, just west of the Stade road. Taxi to “Pharmacie Mali-Bero” then with the pharmacy on your left, walk a half-block and look for his red Nescafe booth just past the technical school. He is open to coincide with the breaks at the school. He is ready to serve around 10:00 and 16:00. Most Peace Corps volunteers use him for a quick stop in passing for his delicious meat sandwiches stuffed with fries. However, he is more than just meat sandwiches. Vegetarians should try his omelette sandwich. Highly recommended is his version of nacho fries. This is a mountain of fries topped with seasoned ground (minced) beef or a fried egg, sauce, mayonnaise etc. all for about CFA 750. Sit down, order the fries, and get a coffee to boot. Well worth taking your time there rather than just doing take away.
 * Fried cheese (Wagashi) (I): In season, this is a delicacy coming to us from Benin and Togo. It sells in the Petit Marché as red discus-shaped rounds that you can then cook up yourself. Not to be eaten raw. Alternatively, there are two women who sell it fried and ready to eat. One is just behind Score near the Senegalese Restaurant with the blue walls. Ask around as she is not always there. The other is near the fuel station “Station Katako” on the road leading into town from the Stade, in the trees on the North side of the street that form the Tillaberi and Gotheye bush taxi station. She sells all sorts of chichena (fried bean cakes) and patats (fried sweet potatoes) etc. so the cheese can sometimes be hidden in the pile. Look for it in the centre of her wares in a small plastic bowl. Buy some (25F each) and then eat it with rice from the rice lady a little to the west.
 * A great street food lady with fufu and wagashi under a big tent (I): Wagashi (friend cheese) is also sometimes available at a very popular food tent that runs from 09:00 to 13:00 across from the Grand Mosquée, on the street heading south. It is at the crossroads on the south-eastern corner of the grand mosquée compound. There is usually a swarm of taxicabs parked there while drivers have breakfast/brunch. Good pounded yam (fufu) and lemu-hari drink too.
 * Good hand-made grilled sausage (I): Take a taxi to Cinema Soni and get out at Avenue Arewah. Start walking north on Avenue Arewah. Pass one intersection and then look for him half-way along the blank wall of the school on the right. He is sometimes hidden in among the Ghanaian semi-trailers that use the wall as a waiting point.
 * “Pepperoni-style” hand-made grilled sausage (I): Take a taxi to Rond Point Eglise. Walk south towards Marina Market. He is at a Maggi grill on the left just a block or two down. CFA 250/sausage with condiments. He is there in the afternoons and evenings. He may not look like he has sausage if he is not grilling, but he keeps the cooked meat covered and warm so step up and ask.
 * Grilled Meat (I): Down the road from the bar La Toulousain/Ebenezers is a meat griller with a Maggi stand. There are always cars parked next to it waiting for well-seasoned meat. Rumour has it that former President Tandja liked to get his meat from here. However, there is grilled mutton on almost any street corner in Niamey and it is always delicious. Specify that you prefer meat to fat. CFA 500 gets you a small serving for 1-2 people.
 * Fried plantains In season, find them on either side of the intersection just north of the Grand Marché, formed by Avenue Arewah and Boulevard de l’Independence. One of these women makes them as little fried balls of banana bread, which are excellent with sugar or her spicy salsa. She is from Ghana and speaks English.
 * Delicious Kilishi (beef jerky): Kilishi is a specialty of Niger. There are three varieties: plain, hot pepper, and spicy peanut sauce. Never buy it from Katako Marché as it is dried over the aluminium smelters (worth seeing sometime). Try instead one of the smaller operations around town, such as the drying racks just east of Round Point Liberté or at the Yantala night market. If you buy it on the street, ask the seller where it was made as you really do not want the stuff that has been dried in Katako.
 * Dégué Dégué are little millet balls, and when they are in yoghurt they are reminiscent of a wholegrain tapioca pudding. Excellent dégué is available next to “Nigelec siege” in Plateau, within easy walking distance from the Centre Culturel Americain. Martine’s stand is slightly hidden, next to a lady selling dumbou but if you ask someone will point you in the right direction. It is usually sold in increments of 150, 200, 250 and so on in sachets or sit in and enjoy the dégué with a plastic bowl and ladle. Dégué is also available from sellers in the Grand Marché if you are in there and need a snack while shopping. Or ask around where you are and see if someone is not selling out of their concession nearby where you are staying.
 * Best bisap and apollo in town (I): Bisap is a sweetended hibiscus-leaf drink with mint.
 * Apollo is a frozen slushy made from the baobab fruit, with a deep rich flavour. Take a taxi to Lamordé Ganda from the Grand Marché or Petit Marché for CFA 200. Pass the big mosque and then get out at a white-walled square boutique with a blue-green door a ways along on the left. If it is closed, ask for Rashida in the courtyard to the right.
 * Masaki’s Some nights there is live music at Masaki’s. Taxi to Mairie Commune 1 and walk east. Look for their fliers or call in to ask what is planned. It is run by a French guy and his Nigerien wife. Also serves as a hotel with nice rooms.

Drink


Keep in mind that drinking alcohol is generally forbidden in Muslim culture, so take extra care to keep drunken inappropriate behaviour behind closed doors and out of the public eye. Most of the Western-style restaurants above also serve drinks, Cap Banga or Oxygène in particular have amazing river views, especially great around sunset. (See the "Eat" section)

Sorghum beer bars
There are three Burkinabé millet or sorghum beer bars (called dolo or tchouk), all in Yantala Ancien, behind the French Embassy. The easiest place to start is to have a cab drop you off on the paved road that runs along the east wall of the French Embassy. Start walking along the dirt road that runs along the North (back) wall of the Embassy. You will pass a Christian Pentecostal church. Take the right after the church, then another immediate right, then the next left. She runs the operation out of her courtyard, is really nice if you are kind to her and her kids, and she will help keep the drunks at bay. Late afternoon is a great time to go. It is also a great cultural experience as almost everyone there is from Burkina. Take some ice if you want cool dolo. She has dolo on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and sometimes Monday. Two different women make it on the other days of the week as well as the weekend. For the other two, it is best to go to the first lady, pretend like you did not know she was not serving that day, and tip a child CFA 50 to take you to the next location. Or, from Rond Point Yantala, walk towards the French Embassy a few blocks and then veer off on a diagonal road to your right. Take the next right, then a quick left into her compound at the end of a long and narrow path between her houses. The only problem is there are two diagonal roads: try the first one and then ask someone if you get confused.

Learn
The Universite Abdou Moumouni de Niamey was created 1971 and is the only public university in Niger. The university has five faculties.

Libraries

 * The CCFN (see above) contains a large library in French. There is an impressive collection of French-language books about Niger found in a separated part of this library (and with slightly different hours) called the "Centre des Resources Documentaires".
 * The Centre Culturel Americain (Rue de la Tapoa) has a modest selection of English-language books (mostly about the USA), a couple dozen magazines, and (most of the time) a small selection of newspapers (often a week or two old). There is another library which mostly contains novels used by students taking English courses at the center; however, if you are carrying books with you that you no longer want, you could ask the librarian if you could swap for one of the books in the library. This center also hosts a weekly film (usually in English with French subtitles), although it's not as large a venue or spectacular a crowd as at the CCFN or CCOG.
 * There are two large libraries for serious research (not for casual browsing), both of which only allow librarians to enter the room where books are kept to retrieve what you are looking for: Institute des Recherches des Sciences Humaines (Humanities Research Institute, 227 20 735141) and the neighboring Centre d'Etudes Linguistique et Historiques par Tradition Orale (Center for Linguistic Studies and Historical Oral Tradition, 227 20 735414). Both have nearly 20,000 titles, but, again, are not very formidable to casual browsing.

Splurge




Connect

 * Internet (slow) modem and satellite connection. Rate is about CFA 500/hour. Wi-Fi is emerging in the city and can already be purchased on a 'pay as you go' basis with scratch-off cards in the better hotels and in the city centre.
 * Post/CourrierThe main post office is located on Rue de la Poste halfway between the Place de la Concorde/Assemble National and Place Monteil. DHL Express is located on Boulevard de la Liberte.

Respect
Proper attire: Dress is much more conservative than other West African countries. Look around to see how the majority of local people dress, and you can see it is offensive if you are not dressed conservatively. Shorts, above-the knee skirts, and tank tops should never be worn in the capital, in Hausa regions or up north. This will also help cut down on harassment. Note, as well, that people in Niamey dress as nicely as they can afford to, so it's not recommended to dress like you are "slumming."

Giving gifts: Think carefully before giving out “cadeaux” (gifts) or money to kids or even adults that you do not know personally, especially those that ask for one (genuine beggars excepted). Be aware that after you give out cadeaux, future visitors will be targets for unceasing and increasingly obnoxious demands for cadeaux, and Westeners will be seen only as a source of gifts. The annoyance you cause future visitors is probably not worth the trinket. Instead, give it to a reputable local charity or school to be distributed, or to a family that has done something nice for you.

Stay safe
See the warning box in the Niger article for information on the security situation.

General: Niamey is relatively safe, at least by Nigerien standards, but be aware of several things:
 * Carry as little as possible.
 * For men, watch your wallet in your back pocket.
 * For women, be aware that they can cut the strap of your bag and run.
 * The most dangerous places are anywhere the road crosses the ravine that runs through town, including next to the Stade (between the Stade and Katako), and between the Musée and Hotel Gaweye. Robberies are more common there because the perpetrators can disappear into the ravine.
 * The water in the city is usually OK to drink, but sometimes not. To be safe, you can buy filtered, sealed PureWater (pronounced Pure-Watta) for 25 CFA per small bag. (Outside of the city it may be either 25 or 50 CFA). Ask at any stall that has a fridge.

Con artists: A frequent scam, anywhere in the city but especially near Petit Marché, involves someone coming up to you and acting like he knows you. He says his car or motorcycle has been in an accident and he needs 10,000F to fix it, or variations on this theme. If you don’t know the person beyond a shadow of a doubt, don’t believe him or her.

Embassies & consulates

 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇩🇰 Denmark
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Visa extensions
Visa extensions are granted at the Direction de la Surveillance du territoire on Rue Heinrich Luebke. Bring two photographs and the appropriate fee. Expect one day service, although a small gift could probably get you same day service.

Go next

 * Koure West Africa's last surviving giraffe herd is just 45 minutes outside of Niamey (near Koure) and guided tours are available.
 * Baleyara, roughly 2 hours east, is home to a large and vibrant crafts market on Sundays. A must-do daytrip. On other days, however, the rural town is barren and there are no hotels.
 * Boubon, 25 km northwest on the route towards Tillaberi & Gao, is a city known for its pottery. Soil it taken from the banks of the river and formed into many different household potteries, set out to dry and fired in large open pits. Wednesday is market day here, and the easiest day to find public transport from Niamey. Other days, it might be necessary to take a bush taxi to nearby Relais and then take a pirougue to Boubon.
 * W National Park is a massive park named after the 'W' shape of the Niger River in it and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Similar to the large game parks of eastern Africa except that the landscape is less open and more shrub-filled and forest-like and there is less of a presence of large herbivores than E.Africa. Three hours south of Niamey, it could easily be organized as a day-long trip, but to fully enjoy the park, an overnight stay is recommended. The conservation project ECOPAS is working to improve the park's infrastructure, protect its inhabitants, and attract tourists. ECOPAS's Niamey headquarters can be consulted for tourism info ; they also sell printed books/guides for/about the park.
 * Agadez While a considerable distance away (1,000 km), there are frequent bus connections to this city which once was the most popular tourist destination in Niger. The city is safe to visit, but due to the ongoing Tuareg rebellion, travel outside the city is not allowed. A permit may be necessary, so consult local authorities before taking a bus. A military escort is necessary for part of the journey to protect against bandits, don't worry, though, as travelling this route is safe (with escort).