Maradi
Niger's commercial centre in the southern farming belt, with a chiefly palace and big markets.
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Maradi is the commercial heart of Niger, sitting in the groundnut and millet belt near the Nigerian border with trade running heavily across it, and it is a Hausa city with the palace of the Sarkin Katsina at its centre, a chieftaincy that moved here in the nineteenth century. The markets are among the largest in the country and goods flow constantly to and from Kano. The city was moved to its present site after floods destroyed the old one in the 1940s, which is why the plan is more regular than most Nigerien towns.
What you actually see
- The chief's palace - the seat of the Sarkin Katsina in the centre.
- The markets - among the biggest in Niger, working the Nigerian trade.
- The Hausa city - architecture and culture of the southern belt.
- The farming country - groundnut and millet land around the city.
When to go
November to February is the cool dry season. The rains fall June to September and the country greens. Market days are busiest.
Honest expectations
It is a working commercial city with little arranged for visitors. Heat and dust outside the cool months are considerable. Palace visits need arrangement.
Nearby
Lake Madarounfa is south, and Zinder is east.
What to pack for Maradi
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.