Niger has significant energy potential, rich and varied, that is weakly exploited. It consists of biomass (firewood and agricultural residues, the main source used by households for cooking), uranium, mineral coal, oil, natural gas, hydroelectricity and solar energy. Despite this rich potential, access to energy is still a challenges for the authorities. Final energy consumption in Niger is estimated at 0.15 toe per capita, one of the lowest in the world. The weakness of this value is mainly due to limited access of Niger's households to modern energy.
The development perspectives of the energy sector, as projected by the current authorities, are one of Niger's strengths in promoting sustainable development and the fight against poverty. These large-scale actions, in development of the energy supply capacity of the country, are in order to make it available and improve access to reliable energy at affordable costs.
Given the central role that energy plays in the achievement of economic objectives and in view of all these perspectives, Niger seems to have taken a path that will lead the country towards economic and social progress. This is even true given that the energy sector of Niger is undergoing reform and presents many opportunities for investors and project developers.
With the opening to investors through the various legal framework reforms and the real opportunities that exist, Niger's authorities are committed to creating the necessary conditions for the development of the sector to make energy available and affordable throughout the country. The creation of mission structures including the PPP Supporting Cell and the High Council for Investment in Niger (HCIN), all supported by the signing of the Energy Charter, is eloquent proof of this commitment. It remains only for investors and project developers to capture these available opportunities and accompany the Niger authorities in the implementation of their development agenda.