Natural Resources in Niger

Natural resources are an important part of the history and development of regions. They determine the sectors that dominate the economy, the livelihoods of local people, and can often influence social and political factors.

The landscape of Niger is varied – there is some arable land that is irrigated and used as pasture, there are forests and woodland as well.

An important natural resource for Niger is uranium, but the region also possesses deposits of coal, tin, phosphates, and iron ore.[1] After Niger gained independence from France in 1958, the exporting of uranium ore was a significant factor in the economic boom that allowed political changes. The first military rule of the nation was bolstered by the economic boom that political changes and uranium ore facilitated. However, a worldwide drop in uranium demand has caused the nation’s economy to suffer since then.

The exporting of oil has also significantly impacted the political system and economy of Niger. The discovery of the Tintouma oil field in Madama in 1975 attracted attention to the region.

The use of natural resources in an under-developed nation can produce some negative consequences. In Niger, overgrazing, deforestation, soil erosion, and desertification are all problems[2] when the land’s natural resources are used without guidelines for conservation. Poaching of endangered wildlife populations also poses a risk to the region’s ecological balance and environmental conditions.[3]

            Additionally, the deeply entrenched poverty in the region makes development of natural resources difficult, and if they are developed, it is often done in ways that profit international companies, rather than local people. The lack of diversification in the economy, which is based almost solely on the exporting of a few natural resources (uranium makes up 79% of national export proceeds)[4] also makes development difficult.

            Niger is a nation with many natural resource deposits, but its lack of infrastructure, diversification, and development make the effective use of these resources difficult.

---

[1] “The Mineral Industry of  Other Countries of Africa,” United States Geological Survey, last modified 1994, accessed February 10, 2016, http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/1994/9247094.pdf.

[2] “Niger,” African Wildlife Foundation, last modified 2015, accessed February 10, 2016, http://www.awf.org/country/niger.

[3] Ibid.

[4] “The Mineral Industry of  Other Countries of Africa,” United States Geological Survey.

Bibliography

“The Mineral Industry of  Other Countries of Africa.” United States Geological Survey. Last modified 1994. Accessed February 10, 2016. http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/1994/9247094.pdf.

“Niger.” African Wildlife Foundation. Last modified 2015. Accessed February 10, 2016. http://www.awf.org/country/niger.