Niger is a vast landlocked country in the Sahel, with an estimated 14.7 million people, the majority of whom live along a narrow band of arable land on the country’s southern border. The country is endowed with precious mineral resources, such as uranium, gold and oil, which provide an excellent opportunity for creating national prosperity, if well managed.

But the current economy is dominated by agriculture. This primary sector, which accounted for about 45 percent of GDP in 2008, is dominated by rain-fed agriculture, (though with an increasing focus on irrigation). Livestock production accounted for about a third of the value added in the sector. With some 80 percent of Niger’s population living in rural areas, rural development is a priority if the country is to raise incomes and reduce poverty.

Download 9-page brief:
Putting the Economy on a Path of Higher Growth - August 2009 (PDF)