Overview

The overall service provision level is sufficient enough for an agency to have most of its needs met. Some sectors such as electricity and waste management are not very well developed. The level of financial services is also somewhat limited. 

For other services such as handling, forwarding, transport and more all needs should be covered without any major problems.

For more information on company contact details, please see the following link: 

4.11 Additional Services Contact List

Accommodation

Accommodation cleared by UN security and respecting MOSS standards can be found in all the larger cities in Niger. In Diffa and Ouallam there are guesthouses run by UN agencies, ICRC and ONGs, for the rest of the country there are private owned hotels that meet the standards. Accommodation has not been a major issue in past crisis that saw an important increase in demand. Regional hotels can be full, however, when the government arranges large conferences or rallies.  

Electricity and Power

Power is supplied through NIGELEC which is part state owned and part private owned and the sector is regulated by ANPER-Niger. The main source of power production in Niger comes from coal, gas and fuel turbines. The production is controlled by the government though Nigelec is partly privatised. SONICHAR runs the coal turbine, while Nigelec controls the fuel and gas generators. Local production falls far short of needs despite the feeble level of access (22.7%, representing 9.53% of households[1]). The national grid dose not expand into remote locations. Over 60% of the electricity consumption is imported, most of which comes from Nigeria.

Power outages are a regular feature of life for the households that are privileged with access and particular frequent during the hot season, from March to June. Most outages are fixed the same day, but can be long lasting, particularly if they have their origins in Nigeria. Generators are essential for businesses and organisations in order to function. The voltage supplied is 220 alternating at 50 cycles per second (Hertz).    

Financial Services

There are around ten banks operating in Niger and most will have agencies in the major cities. There is also several companies specialising in money transfer. There is not a large span of services though. Bank fees are relatively high and credit is expensive. Credit card unions are not available, all transactions pass either in cash, checks or bank transfer. There are accounting and audit firms operating in Niger. These have not been appreciated but contact details can be found through the following links: https://www.goafricaonline.com/ne/annuaire/expert-comptable and https://www.goafricaonline.com/ne/annuaire/audit-conseil  

 BIA NIGER

Private sector institution for which the government holds 35% of the shares. Only operations in Niger.

*Basic details for the main office should be shown here, additional contact details for local/regional offices and full contact details for the main office to be included in 4.11 Additional Services Contact List.

Clearing and Forwarding Agents

There are several clearing and forwarding agents. The larger ones includes Bolloré, Damco, CAT Logistics, Matrans and Necotrans. Additionally some of the largest transporters can provide some clearing and forwarding services. The Nigerien head offices will be placed in Niamey, with representation where there are custom offices. Performances will vary, though some forwarders are more reliable than others.    

Handling Equipment

Freight handling equipment is Manutention Africaine Niger is the representative of Caterpiller in Niger. Heavy equipment, including freight handling equipment, can be rented, leased or bought through them. Wooden pallets are available, but the quality is low. WFP prefers to import plastic pallets.

Postal and Courier Services

Niger Poste is the Nigerien postal service. Its services are not always quick or reliable. International couriers such as DHL has representation in the country. Fedex operates through Red Star Express. The sector is regulated by ARTP which also regulates telecommunications.

Printing and Publishing

Publishing and printing services are available. Companies and location can be found in contact list 4.11.

Taxi Companies

Taxies are available in every city. In Niamey these will be Toyota Corollas. In other parts a sort of three-wheel vehicle or motorcycles will be more common. The taxies are not organised in any companies. Each taxi will be owned by particulars that employ a driver. Most taxies will follow a set route picking up passengers along the way, but can also be called. There is no dispatch central so you will need the number of the driver. The overall reliability and security is poor. There are newer cars in circulation that can be relied upon, but in general the vehicles are old and that fact that some can still move is a credit to Niger’s mechanics. The sector is regulated by the ministry of transport. 

Vehicle Rental

Vehicles are available for rent and of sufficient quality and supply that it can meet an organisation’s initial needs.

Waste Management and Disposal Services

Waste management is underdeveloped. The municipalities in the larger cities are responsible for waste management and collecting, though its satisfaction rate is low. A study on waste management in Maradi is fairly representative for the country in general as it sums up the challenges as follows:

Collecting capacity is insufficient, lack of effective sensitization of people, undeveloped and uncontrolled rubbish dumps, lack of gutters and maintenance, and insufficient and unqualified human resources. As to the authorities, they continually denounce the attitude and the behaviour of the citizens on handling waste. The waste evacuation is done by municipal collecting or by depositing in wild rubbish dump. Some people eliminate their waste by burning or duping in the streets or in their houses. According to our investigations, 52% of population evacuates their waste daily. The satisfaction rate of municipal collecting is at 32%[2].

There is no recycling programme in the country unless goats and other livestock salvaging edibles counts.

Waste Disposal-Non-Hazardous

Non-hazardous waste are either burned or put in open landfills. Disposal of food that is unfit for human and animal consumption is either buried or burned. For disposal of food items the authorisation by the by the Police Sanitaire (the regulating agency) is required and the disposal will be done under their supervision.  

Waste Disposal-Hazardous

Hazardous waste is burned and supposed to be buried. The Police Sanitaire are responsible for authorising the disposal and overseeing the process. The process seems to be mostly ad-hoc due to the lack of formalised procedures. Commonly a relatively secluded area is selected, the waste burned with varying effort made to assure the destruction and left as debris.

Treatment of industrial waste is more or less left to the discretion of the company producing it. Rules and regulation are not well developed and enforcement is not in place. Sewage water will in affluent areas be amassed in cisterns and be collected for burying. In less affluent areas of the city there are open sewers.  

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.