Press of Niger online: Nigerien newspapers and media

In Niger, news is read in the state daily Le Sahel, in ANP dispatches and on Niamey sites such as ActuNiger, Tamtaminfo and Niger Inter, and heard on Studio Kalangou or ORTN, in French, Hausa and Zarma, generally with no subscription needed.

From the state press to the 1991 national conference

After independence in 1960, written news was long dominated by the state press, including Le Sahel, published by the Office national d'édition et de presse (ONEP). The 1991 national conference then paved the way for numerous private newspapers in Niamey.

Le Sahel and the private papers of Niamey

Le Sahel and its Sahel Dimanche edition present the work of the government and institutions. Private weeklies in Niamey, such as Niger Inter or Le Courrier, offer political analysis and opinion pieces, sometimes appearing irregularly depending on newsroom resources.

Hausa, Zarma and French in the media

Niger's print press is almost entirely in French. On the radio, Hausa, the most widely spoken language, and Zarma-Songhai dominate, followed by Fula, Tamasheq and Kanuri, notably on Studio Kalangou and community radio stations.

Zinder, Maradi, Agadez: regional news

The main inland cities, such as Zinder, Maradi, Tahoua and Agadez, are covered mostly by ANP correspondents and local radio stations. Aïr Info, based in Agadez, focuses more specifically on the north of the country and Saharan issues.

ActuNiger, Tamtaminfo and the online press

ActuNiger and Tamtaminfo publish daily articles on politics, security, the economy and infrastructure. Widely shared on Facebook and WhatsApp, these sites have become the main source of news for connected Nigeriens in Niamey and abroad.

What does the Niger Press Agency publish?

The Niger Press Agency (ANP) distributes official dispatches, government activities and news from the regions through its network of bureaus. It remains the reference source for a statement, an appointment or a decree issued in Niamey.

ORTN, Télé Sahel and private radio

The Office de radiodiffusion télévision du Niger (ORTN) runs Télé Sahel and the radio station La Voix du Sahel. Private channels such as Dounia TV and many private and community stations complete the broadcast landscape, vital in a country where radio reaches the widest audience.

Nigeriens abroad and neighbouring countries

The Nigerien diaspora, large in Nigeria, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire and France, follows events through websites and social media. For the neighbours, see the English-language Nigeria press and the Malian press online.

Uranium, oil and football in the papers

Business pages follow uranium from Arlit, oil from Agadem and the pipeline to the port of Sèmè in Benin. Sport is dominated by football and the Mena, the national team, as well as traditional wrestling, a hugely popular national sport.

The press environment since July 2023

Since the CNSP seized power in July 2023, broadcasts of RFI and France 24 have been suspended in Niger. Several Nigerien journalists have been detained, and local media operate within a restrictive security and political framework.

Cross-checking sources on the central Sahel

Compare ANP or Le Sahel with a private site and Studio Kalangou before accepting sensitive information. The Burkinabè press online and African newspapers on the internet pages let you follow the same news as seen from Ouagadougou or elsewhere.

Free access and print editions in Niamey

Virtually all Nigerien websites are free and funded by advertising. Le Sahel publishes an online version and is sold at Niamey newsstands for CFA francs, while the private weeklies circulate mainly in the capital.

Following the Niger press from abroad

1. Read Le Sahel for the official position, then ActuNiger or Tamtaminfo for daily coverage of Niamey news.
2. Consult ANP dispatches to verify a decree, an appointment or a statement from the Nigerien government.
3. Listen to Studio Kalangou online for news in Hausa, Zarma and other national languages.
4. Watch Télé Sahel or a private channel such as Dounia TV to compare two treatments of the same event.
5. Follow the official social media pages of Nigerien outlets rather than anonymous accounts reposting their articles.
6. Check the date and location of security images, often recycled from one Sahel country to another.

Access to Nigerien media and costs

Key pointers for the Nigerien press

• Languages: French in print, Hausa and Zarma on the radio
• News agency: Niger Press Agency (ANP)
• Public broadcasting: ORTN, with Télé Sahel and La Voix du Sahel
• National daily: Le Sahel, published by ONEP
• Time zone: UTC+1, Niamey time
• Currency: CFA franc (XOF)

Mistakes to avoid with news from Niger

• Confusing Niger and Nigeria in an online search, which mixes up the French-language Nigerien press with the English-language Nigerian press.
• Taking a CNSP statement relayed by Télé Sahel for an independent investigation into the security situation.
• Sharing an attack video attributed to Niger when it was filmed in Mali, Burkina Faso or several years earlier.
• Trusting an anonymous Facebook account posing as a Nigerien outlet without finding the article on the official website.
• Forgetting that international media suspended in Niger no longer have correspondents free to work in Niamey.

Frequent questions about Niger's media