• Move follows union pressure and delayed 2023 labor talks

• New wage still lags behind regional peers like Senegal and Burkina Faso

Niger’s statutory minimum wage (SMIG) will rise 39.8% to 42,000 CFA francs from 30,047 CFA francs, the government announced after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. An effective date for the increase was not immediately provided.

The government said the measure was intended to address union demands by adjusting the statutory minimum wage.

At the same meeting, the cabinet also approved a decree setting new minimum pay levels for various job categories covered by the national collective agreement, based on the updated hourly SMIG rate.

The issue was first discussed at the National Labor Council in June 2023, which included representatives of unions, employers, and the government. The increase was initially expected to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

At the time, trade union Union syndicale progressiste des travailleurs (USPT) called for a fair and inclusive reform of the minimum wage to improve conditions for all workers, including temporary staff. USPT Secretary-General Mamane Saliya Ibrahim said overlapping crises had worsened workers’ living conditions, prompting unions to urge stronger action from all stakeholders.

Despite the increase, Niger’s new minimum wage remains below that of neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso (45,000 CFA francs) and Senegal (64,175 CFA francs).

The wage hike comes as economic indicators in Niger show signs of recovery. World Bank data shows that youth unemployment stood at 0.3% in 2024, down from 0.4% the previous year. Extreme poverty, at 52.9% in 2024, is expected to fall to 50.1% in 2025, lifting about 310,000 people out of poverty. Inflation is forecast to average 4.2% in 2025, down sharply from 9.1% in 2024, driven by lower food prices.

Lydie Mobio