Niger: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Niger feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 32 written places.
Greetings are long and unhurried, and the three rounds of sweet tea set the pace of the day.
✓ Considered polite
- Take time over greetings - asking after family and health comes before any business
- Accept tea when offered; the three small glasses, each sweeter than the last, are a ritual of friendship
- Use your right hand for eating, giving and receiving
- Dress modestly - loose clothing covering shoulders and knees suits both the culture and the Sahel heat
✗ Better avoided
- Offer a handshake to someone of the opposite sex unless they extend a hand first
- Leave the tea ceremony after the first glass - staying for the third is the point
- Photograph people without asking permission first
- Eat, drink or smoke openly in public during Ramadan daylight hours
Worth knowing
- The CFA franc is king and cash rules - cards work almost nowhere outside big Niamey hotels
- Friday midday prayers empty the streets; many businesses pause and reopen later
- Bargaining is expected at markets - start well below the first price and keep it good-humoured
- Alcohol is available in some Niamey bars and hotels but plays little part in social life
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.