Key facts
Key facts for business in Niger
The short answer
Company registry in Niger: Maison de l'Entreprise – Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE). Requirements, fees and timelines change – confirm them with the body concerned and a lawyer admitted in Niger before you act.
| Legal system | Civil law (French-based, with customary and Islamic law) |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Hausa (national language under the 2025 Refoundation Charter), French (working language), English (working language) |
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF) |
| Regional blocs | UEMOA (WAEMU), Confederation of Sahel States (AES) |
| OHADA business law | Yes – the OHADA Uniform Acts apply |
| AfCFTA (continental free trade) | Ratified (instrument deposited) |
| New York Convention (arbitral awards) | Party – in force since 1965 |
| ICSID Convention (investment disputes) | Contracting state – in force since 1966 |
| Apostille Convention (public documents) | Not a party – documents usually need legalization |
Treaty status from the official depositary records (UNCITRAL, ICSID, HCCH), regional blocs from their own websites, AfCFTA from tralac – checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Official bodies
Who does what in Niger
| What for | Official body | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Registering a company | Maison de l'Entreprise – Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE) | mde.ne |
| Investment promotion | Agence Nigérienne de la Promotion des Investissements Privés et des Projets Stratégiques (ANPIPS) – Niger Agency for the Promotion of Private Investment and Strategic Projects | anpips.ne |
| Central bank, currency and foreign exchange | Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO) – Central Bank of West African States | bceao.int |
| Official business procedures portal | eRegulations Niger | niger.eregulations.org |
We could not confirm an official website for: tax, work and residence permits, courts and justice. We only link to sites we could open and confirm as the body’s own in October 2026.
Each link was opened and checked as the body’s own website in October 2026. Links to official sites only – never to agents or look-alike sites.
Getting started
What foreign businesses usually sort out first
- Choose how you will operate. A subsidiary, a branch, a representative office, or working through a local partner or distributor. The options and their conditions are set by the OHADA Uniform Act on commercial companies and national rules.
- Register the business. Company registration: Maison de l'Entreprise – Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE).
- Register for tax. Tax registration: the national tax administration.
- Check investment rules and incentives. Some sectors have licensing, local-ownership or registration rules, and some investors qualify for incentives. Investment agency: Agence Nigérienne de la Promotion des Investissements Privés et des Projets Stratégiques (ANPIPS).
- Permits for foreign staff. Work and residence permits: the national immigration authority.
- Banking and foreign exchange. Rules on accounts, moving money in and out and paying dividends abroad come from the central bank (Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO)) and the banks.
- Contracts and disputes. Agree the governing law, the courts or arbitration seat, and the language. Niger is a party to the New York Convention, so arbitral awards made in other member states can be recognized there under it.
A general checklist, not legal advice. What applies to you depends on your sector, structure and nationality.
Law firms
Law firms in Niger for business matters
2 firms in Niger list corporate, tax, employment or other business work on their own websites. See every firm in Niger.
Checking a lawyer in Niger
Who admits lawyers: Ordre des Avocats du Niger (Barreau du Niger)
Professional title: Avocat
Official roll: barreauduniger.ne
Check the lawyer's name in the Barreau du Niger's published Tableau de l'Ordre (PDF) or its online annuaire (web.barreauduniger.ne).
We could not confirm every detail from official sources, so use this as a starting point.
Sources: barreauduniger.ne. Checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
Doing business in Niger: questions
Where do you register a company in Niger?
With Maison de l'Entreprise – Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE) (mde.ne). Requirements change, so confirm them with the registry and a lawyer admitted in Niger.
Is Niger a party to the New York Convention?
Yes – in force since 1965 (UNCITRAL status table, checked October 2026).
Does Niger accept apostilles?
Niger is not a party to the Apostille Convention (HCCH status table, checked October 2026), so foreign public documents usually need legalization – typically through the issuing country’s foreign ministry and Niger’s embassy or consulate. Confirm with the authority that will receive the document.
What currency is used in Niger?
West African CFA franc (XOF).