country profile

Niger

Sub-Saharan AfricaLow income27.03M population

Last updated May 3, 2026

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

Composite GEFRI Score

Critically unprepared

Niger shows critically low readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (7th percentile worldwide). Core capabilities are weak across most dimensions, and essential systems face significant constraints. Higher scores indicate a system that is better prepared to anticipate and shape the future of learning.

20.78Composite score
Global percentile
7th
Global rank
#167
Regional rank
#37
Viewing data for
Infrastructure
13.16
3rd percentileGlobal avg. 54.77
Human Capital
13.62
2nd percentileGlobal avg. 47.01
Innovation
31.68
20th percentileGlobal avg. 45.21
Governance
35.46
33rd percentileGlobal avg. 47.75
Access & Parity
10.00
32nd percentileGlobal avg. 49.65

Country profile

Niger trails global peers in Innovation (32, 20th percentile), GEFRI Composite (21, 7th percentile), Human Capital (14, 2nd percentile), and Infrastructure (13, 3rd percentile). A coordinated reform effort is needed to strengthen education futures readiness.

Uneven scores across dimensions highlight areas that need targeted coordination. 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.

Note: Most indicators rely on observed data, offering a dependable evidence base for decisions.

Key insights

  • Falls below many peers at the 7th percentile.
  • Places 167th worldwide.
  • Holds a regional position of 37th within Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Scores range from Governance (35.5) to Access & Parity (10.0), reflecting variation across dimensions.
  • Trails regional peers most clearly in Infrastructure.

Regional peers: Sub-Saharan Africa

Composite GEFRI Score

Global rankRegional rankCountryScore
681South Africa57.33
742Mauritius56.48
SeychellesMicrostate55.12
803Botswana54.11
1024Ghana47.72
1085Namibia44.24
1136Cabo Verde40.09
1177Eswatini38.07
1248Senegal35.40
1259Equatorial Guinea35.01
12610Gabon34.48
12911Rwanda33.75
13312Kenya33.02
13413Gambia, The32.24
13514Cote d'Ivoire32.18
Sao Tome and PrincipeFCSMicrostate31.75
14015Lesotho31.04
14116Benin29.70
14217ZimbabweFCS29.57
14418Togo29.28
14519Tanzania29.23
14620CameroonFCS28.46
14721Zambia27.96
14822Mauritania27.82
15023Angola26.39
15224ComorosFCS25.64
15325Congo, Rep.FCS25.59
15526MozambiqueFCS25.26
15627EthiopiaFCS25.24
15728Uganda24.82
15829NigeriaFCS24.64
15930Sierra Leone24.58
16031Madagascar24.32
16132Burkina FasoFCS23.86
16233MaliFCS23.71
16334Malawi23.40
16435Guinea22.78
16636Liberia22.50
16737NigerFCS20.78
16838SudanFCS20.28
16939Guinea-BissauFCS19.28
17645Somalia, Fed. Rep.FCS19.26
17141BurundiFCS18.78
17242EritreaFCS18.78
17443Congo, Dem. Rep.FCS17.87
17544ChadFCS16.32
17645SomaliaFCS15.80
17746South SudanFCS15.44
17847Central African RepublicFCS14.57