Employment in Niger

A 2025 INS, ANPE and World Bank panel of 4,200 people aged 15 to 35 in eight regional capitals recorded an employment rate of 34.5%, vulnerable employment of 46.6%, informal employment of 91.3% and combined underemployment and unemployment of 34.6%. These figures describe the surveyed group and are not estimates for Niger’s entire population. Regional differences are substantial. Employment is commonly linked to agriculture, seasonal work, low earnings and a mismatch between available skills and employers’ needs. Dependent employment means working under an employer’s direction and control in return for pay. Niger’s Labour Code applies to work performed in Niger. A contract is generally valid without a specific written form and can be proved by different types of evidence, but written contracts are required in cases such as work requiring relocation outside the worker’s residence, employment of foreign workers and other legally specified situations. Foreign workers also need a written contract, a public-employment-service visa, prior approval from the Ministry responsible for labour and an applicable exception or finding that the required national skill is unavailable. The main contract forms are an open-ended contract, known as a CDI, and a fixed-term contract, known as a CDD. A CDD has a defined end date, may last up to two years and may be renewed once. Certain work, such as replacement work, seasonal activity, occasional additional work or an unusual activity, can justify a fixed term; some violations of CDD rules can lead to reclassification as a CDI. Temporary agency work generally covers a mission of up to six months and may be renewed once. A journalier performs short-term hourly or daily work and may receive payment daily, weekly or every two weeks. Apprenticeship through alternance combines a training centre with a company. The ANPE is the public employment service and operates through agencies in eight regions and its website. Registration of job seekers is provided for by the Labour Code. The process normally starts at an ANPE counter with identification and the issue of a registration card. A national identity card, passport or birth certificate can serve as identification; a résumé and diploma may be added but are not always required. Public matching is free for the applicant. Employers may also recruit directly or use a private agency. A work card can involve an employer-paid fee, but the available research does not establish the amount. ANPE programmes provide specific routes for some applicants. PAIJ and COSIVIP support eligible young people, while COSIVIP targets Nigerien first-time applicants aged 18 to 35 with a higher, technical or vocational qualification, ANPE registration and an agency contract. Its placement lasts 12 months and includes a monthly allowance and occupational-accident coverage. CRP can provide training for up to six months to qualified people aged 15 to 35 or long-term job seekers who have been registered with ANPE for at least one year, with a daily allowance. PACE supports young graduates with a project idea in self-employment or a micro-enterprise, which is a transition alternative rather than dependent employment. Workers must perform the agreed work carefully, follow lawful instructions and workplace discipline, respect working-time, hygiene and safety rules and protect professional confidentiality. Employers must provide the work and means needed, pay wages or allowances, make required social contributions, protect safety and respect workers. Sexual harassment, violence and abuse are prohibited. Equal pay applies to equal or equivalent work, and employers must not require HIV or sickle-cell disease tests during recruitment. From January 2026, the minimum interprofessional guaranteed wage, called the SMIG, is 42,000 FCFA per month. Separate minimum wages by category are set by Decree 2025-608. These rules primarily cover workers under the Labour Code or collective agreements, especially in private, parapublic and auxiliary public employment; informal work often remains outside effective SMIG enforcement, paid leave and social-security registration. Monthly wages must generally be paid no later than eight days after the end of the month. The standard working time is 40 hours per week, while agricultural work is measured at 2,400 hours per year. Workers receive at least 24 hours of weekly rest. Paid leave accrues at 2.5 calendar days for each month of effective work and can normally be taken after 12 months; an agreed postponement can last up to 24 months. Overtime attracts an additional payment. Maternity protection covers 14 weeks, usually six weeks before and eight weeks after birth, with up to three additional weeks for complications. After at least six months with the employer, the National Social Security Fund, or CNSS, can pay a maternity benefit equal to 50% of the last salary. A nursing worker can receive a break of up to one hour per working day until the child is 12 months old. Employers in the public and private sectors must affiliate with the CNSS from the first hire, and employees must be registered. CNSS covers family and maternity benefits, work accidents and occupational diseases, and old-age, disability and survivor pensions. Contributions are 21.65% of the applicable contribution base: 16.40% paid by the employer and 5.25% withheld from the employee. The annual contribution base is capped at 6,000,000 FCFA. Employers also pay an ANPE tax of 0.5%. Wage declarations are generally quarterly within 30 days after the quarter; employers with at least 20 workers must also report monthly. Informal workers frequently receive none of these protections. A worker can end a CDI at any time, while an employer needs a legitimate reason connected with aptitude, conduct or an essential business necessity. Pregnancy, family status, illness or accident, a complaint or participation in worker representation is not a legitimate reason for dismissal. A hearing is required before dismissal based on conduct or aptitude. Economic dismissal involves consultation with worker representatives and notification to the Labour Inspectorate. A worker dismissed for economic reasons has a two-year rehiring priority. Dismissal notices must be written and state the reason, with notice periods determined by the applicable collective agreement or decree. During the notice period, the worker receives one paid day per week to look for work. Serious misconduct can remove the notice entitlement under the legal conditions. A CDD normally ends on its agreed date without a dismissal notice period, with compensation for unused leave where applicable. Ending it early is generally limited to force majeure, mutual agreement or serious misconduct. For a workplace dispute, a worker can request conciliation from the Labour Inspectorate. The inspector normally summons the parties within 72 hours; a settlement is enforceable, and a failed conciliation can lead to the Labour Tribunal. Jurisdiction normally follows the place of work, while a dismissal dispute can also be brought at the worker’s residence. Former employees may seek voluntary CNSS insurance if they had at least six months of compulsory coverage and apply within six weeks after employment ends. The available research does not establish a separate general unemployment benefit in Niger.