Employer in Niger

Niger's formal employer framework uses terms such as employeur, entreprise, établissement, salarié and travailleur. Business structures may include an SNC, SCS, SARL, SA, SAS or GIE under OHADA rules, with registration in the RCCM and annual accounts where applicable. An employer becomes subject to the employer framework when at least one worker is engaged; there is no general exemption based only on the size of the organisation. Civil servants are outside this private and public employer framework and follow the rules for public service. The 2021 ReGEN figures recorded about 75.1% informal and 24.9% formal employment, with informality especially high in trade, manufacturing, accommodation and food services, while mining, utilities, transport, finance and health were predominantly formal. A vacancy must first be reported to ANPE, Niger's public employment service. An employer generally cannot advertise, hire directly or use a private placement service before that notification, and the candidate needs a carte d'inscription. The employer reports a new hire and a departure within 10 days. At least 5% of positions are reserved for people with disabilities. Recruitment discrimination based on sex, age, origin, religion, disability, HIV status, sickle-cell disease or union membership is prohibited, and an employer may not require an HIV or sickle-cell test for hiring. A foreign worker requires a written contract, an ANPE visa and prior ministerial approval; 30 days of silence counts as approval under the stated procedure. The employer must arrange successor training for a Nigerien worker and pay repatriation costs where the rules require it. Temporary agency work may last up to six months and may be renewed once. Tâcheronnage requires a written arrangement and a copy for the Inspection du Travail. Employment may use a CDI or a CDD. A CDD must be written, state a fixed end date and normally last no more than two years with one renewal; seasonal work, replacement and temporary additional work may use an unspecified end date under the applicable rules. The employer must provide the agreed work and necessary means, pay wages, allowances and social contributions, maintain hygiene and safety, respect workers and prevent violence and harassment. A substantial contractual change requires the worker's consent. Normal working time is 40 hours per week, while agriculture has a 2,400-hour annual limit. Monthly wages are due no later than eight days after the end of the month. The SMIG, Niger's guaranteed minimum wage, has been 42,000 FCFA per month since January 2026; category-specific minimums have been announced, but the exact new wage table was not identified in the available official material. The 2022 Convention Collective interprofessionnelle is relevant to covered employment conditions, and the employer side is represented in that framework by CNP-NIGER and FOP/NIGER. An employer must affiliate with CNSS, Niger's social security institution, from the first salarié. Workers must be registered, and the employer submits quarterly declarations within the first 30 days; employers with at least 20 workers also submit monthly declarations. The published contribution base has a ceiling of 6,000,000 FCFA per year. The CNSS Guide 2021 lists employer contributions of 8.4% for family benefits, 1.75% for occupational accidents and diseases, 6.25% for retirement and 0.5% for ANPE, totaling 16.9%, while the worker share is 5.25%; apprentices and trainees are listed at 13.25%. These rates date from 2021 and should be revalidated after the 2026 SMIG change. Workplace safety requires protective measures, safety training when a worker is hired or changes position or technology, and continuing supervision. A Comité de sécurité et santé au travail is required from 50 workers, and the labour inspector may order one below that threshold. Risk assessment and prevention must be reviewed at least every two years. Every employer must provide access to occupational health arrangements; a workplace with more than 100 workers needs an infirmary, one with 20 to 100 needs a first-aid room, and one with fewer than 20 needs a first-aid box. An occupational accident or disease must be reported to CNSS and the Inspection du Travail within 48 hours, and the employer must maintain evacuation arrangements. The inspector may issue a written formal notice with at least four days to comply, except where there is immediate danger, and a court may order partial or complete closure. Worker representation starts with délégués du personnel in workplaces with more than 10 workers. Their mandate lasts two years. The right to vote generally requires age 18 and six months of service, while eligibility requires age 21 and 12 continuous months. The employer must receive the delegates at least once a month and provide up to 15 paid hours per month for delegation work. A délégué syndical is provided from 50 workers. Dismissal of a representative requires a prior decision by the labour inspector, normally within eight days or 21 days when expertise is needed; a provisional suspension may last up to one month. Protection continues for six months after the mandate and three months for a candidate. Individual employment disputes go to the Tribunal du Travail after the applicable conciliation process, and the procedure is free. A collective dispute must be brought immediately to the labour inspector for conciliation, which can last up to 48 hours. A strike requires at least three working days' notice. Lock-outs are generally prohibited except where security requires one or where a strike was initiated unlawfully. Labour inspectors may inspect without advance notice, access registers and documents and issue reports with evidential value. A serious economic crisis or force majeure can lead to temporary unemployment after consultation with worker representatives, for up to three months in any 12-month period. For an economic dismissal, the employer consults representatives, informs the inspector and submits a file at least 15 days in advance. Selection must consider qualification, aptitude and seniority, and the dismissal must be explained in writing. The special indemnity is one month's gross wage, together with a two-year priority for re-employment. After a succession, sale, merger or transformation, existing employment contracts continue with the new employer. ANPE handles placement and vacancy reporting, CNSS handles social security affiliation and contributions, the Inspection du Travail handles oversight and mediation, and the Tribunal du Travail handles employment disputes.