Dosso

Dosso is the seat of the Zarmakoy, the paramount chief of the Zarma, and his palace stands at the centre of the town, a mud-built compound with a decorated facade that is the main thing to see. The town sits at the junction where the road divides for Benin and Nigeria, which has made it a trading centre, and its market draws the farming country around it. The chieftaincy dates from the eighteenth century and survived the colonial period intact, which is why the palace is still the centre of the town.

History

Dosso is the seat of the Dosso kingdom, a Zarma chieftaincy that rose to dominate the whole Zarma region before colonial times. Its traditional ruler is the Zarmakoy or Djermakoy, a title meaning "king of the Djerma" (Wikipedia, Dosso, Niger).

The main sights

• The Zarmakoy's palace - the mud-built chiefly compound with its decorated front.
• The chieftaincy - the seat of the Zarma paramount chief.
• The market - the trading centre for the surrounding farmland.
• The road junction - where the routes to Benin and Nigeria divide.

When to go

November to February is the cool dry season. The rains fall around June to September. Market days bring the town to life.

Things to know

Visiting the palace needs arrangement and permission, and the interior is not generally open. There is little else for a visitor. Photography around the palace should be asked for.

Nearby

Boubon is northwest, and Niamey is northwest beyond it.

Key facts