Niger
Summary
Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a counter coup by military officers who restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and in 2009 spearheaded a constitutional amendment allowing him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, military officers led a coup that deposed TANDJA and suspended the constitution. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in April 2011 following the coup and reelected to a second term in early 2016. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base, and is ranked last in the world on the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Index. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Government continues its attempts to diversify the economy through increased oil production and mining projects. A Tuareg rebellion emerged in 2007 and ended in 2009. Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria. [1]
📷: Wikipedia
Statistics
From the The Joshua Project [2]
In the News
📷: Wikipedia
Prayer Guide
Pray for the specialist Christian ministries in Niger, including:
a) Aid and development projects for one of the world’s poorest countries should ideally uplift and then empower the people. Samaritan’s Purse, Impacting Niger, World Vision, Lutheran World Relief and many others try to invest wisely into the lives of the people by providing for their needs. Pray that such ministry by Christians would demonstrate the love of God and make an eternal difference in the lives of those impacted.
b) Medical ministry is very effective in this deprived nation. SIM runs the Galmi hospital, and TLM runs the SIM-founded Danja hospital, which has the national referral centre for leprosy as well as an ophthalmic centre.
c) The many prostitutes in the capital are the focus of a significant outreach by CAPRO. The problem of prostitution in southern Niger intensifies as shari’a law is enforced in northern Nigeria, but a lack of funds and personnel threatens this crucial ministry.
Media-oriented ministries include:
a) Bible translation and distribution. SIL and SIM workers commit to translation programmes in Tamacheq-Tawellemmet, Kanuri-Manga, Kanuri-Tumari, Fulbe (Fulfulde), Wodaabe and Tubu-Daza; there are active projects in eight different languages.
b) Christian literature. Poverty and illiteracy are severe limitations. Literacy programmes must be a key aspect of development programmes, both Christian and secular. There are just two Christian bookstores in the country.
c) Radio is a recent development in Christian ministry. EBM produces Christian programmes for the national radio station and a commercial station. A Christian FM station, Radio Espoire, launched in Niamey in 2004 and includes spiritually and socially redemptive programming in several languages. Words of Hope is involved in programme development and training.
d) The audio-media ministry is inadequately funded and exploited. GRN has prepared messages in 36 languages/dialects of Niger. Solid-state audio and cassettes are vital in the contexts of poverty and nomadism.
e) The JESUS film is now available in 11 languages.
[3]