country profile

Niger

Sub-Saharan AfricaLow income27.92M population

Last updated July 15, 2026

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Fragile/Conflict-Affected Country: This country is classified as experiencing conflict.

In fragile and conflict-affected settings, severe data gaps, rapid disruption, and uneven reporting can distort index values. These scores should be read as a limited signal, not a complete picture of conditions in the country.

Critically unprepared

Composite GEFRI Score

Systemwide critical constraints

Niger shows critically low readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (5th percentile worldwide). Core capabilities are weak across most dimensions, and essential systems face significant constraints.

19.49Composite score
Global percentile
5th
Global rank
#170
Regional rank
#40
Viewing data for
Critically unprepared
Infrastructure
13.22
3rd percentileGlobal avg. 55.13
Critically unprepared
Human Capital
13.62
2nd percentileGlobal avg. 47.36
Severely underprepared
Innovation
32.71
13th percentileGlobal avg. 46.19
Severely underprepared
Governance
32.90
30th percentileGlobal avg. 47.46
Critically unprepared
Access & Parity
5.00
19th percentileGlobal avg. 48.49

Country profile

Niger faces substantial readiness constraints across core dimensions. Its weakest results are in Governance (33, 30th percentile), Innovation (33, 13th percentile), GEFRI Composite (19, 5th percentile), Human Capital (14, 2nd percentile), Infrastructure (13, 3rd percentile) and School Access and Gender Parity (5, 19th percentile). These gaps continue to weigh on overall readiness.

Uneven scores across dimensions show where readiness conditions are less aligned. Limited electricity or internet coverage still constrains classrooms, preventing large-scale digital instruction. Literacy or tertiary enrollment gaps thin the talent pipeline and limit the country’s capacity to develop future-ready skills.

Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Policy execution and regulatory capacity remain weak, leaving reforms fragmented and hard to sustain. Gender parity leans toward boys in secondary pathways, signalling persistent barriers for girls.

Regionally, Infrastructure lags peers the most, signalling where investment could have the highest impact.

Some indicators are imputed, so the profile should be read with moderate caution.

Key insights

Falls below many peers at the 5th percentile.

Places 170th worldwide.

Holds a regional position of 40th within Sub-Saharan Africa.

Scores range from Governance (32.9) to Access & Parity (5.0), reflecting variation across dimensions.

Trails regional peers most clearly in Infrastructure.

Regional peers: Sub-Saharan Africa

Composite GEFRI Score

Global rankRegional rankCountryScore
651South Africa57.44
742Mauritius55.85
SeychellesMicrostate55.06
803Botswana53.75
994Ghana48.08
1085Namibia44.23
1146Cabo Verde39.44
1207Eswatini36.39
1258Equatorial Guinea35.21
1269Senegal34.71
12710Gabon34.67
12811Rwanda34.54
13312Kenya32.83
13513Gambia, The32.46
13614Cote d'Ivoire32.04
13715Lesotho31.46
14016Tanzania29.45
14217Benin29.31
Sao Tome and PrincipeFCSMicrostate29.18
14318Togo28.93
14419Zimbabwe28.61
14520CameroonFCS28.42
14621Mauritania27.91
14822Zambia27.69
15023Angola27.20
15324Guinea25.53
15425MozambiqueFCS25.03
15526Madagascar24.90
15627Uganda24.77
15728Congo, Rep.FCS24.76
15829NigeriaFCS24.43
16030EthiopiaFCS24.27
16131Burkina FasoFCS24.20
16232ComorosFCS24.06
16333Sierra Leone23.91
16434MalawiFCS23.31
16535Liberia22.51
16636Guinea-BissauFCS22.30
16737MaliFCS21.77
16838Burundi20.39
16939SudanFCS19.96
17040NigerFCS19.49
17141EritreaFCS19.24
17242Congo, Dem. Rep.FCS19.13
17343ChadFCS17.06
17544SomaliaFCS16.33
17645South SudanFCS16.19
17746Central African RepublicFCS16.10