NIGER GENERAL ECONOMIC DATA Population - 2005 14 million Area 1.3 million Km 2 GDP - 2005 USD 3.4 billion GDP per inhabitant - 2005 USD 233 Growth rate - 2005 7% Inflation - 2005 7.8% Trade balance (% of GDP) - 2005-6.9% Budget balance (% of GDP) - 2005-4.1% Investment (% of GDP) - 2005 16.4% Domestic savings (% of GDP) - 2005 4.8% Total debt (% of GDP) - 2005 69.7 COFACE Country risk rating C Sources : World Bank, World Development Indicators database, April 2006 BAfD/OCDE (2005), Perspectives économiques en Afrique Banque de France, Rapport annuel de la Zone Franc, 2006 BAfD/FAD, Document de Stratégie par Pays, 2005-2009 FMI, Perspectives Economiques Régionales, May 2006 CIA, The World Factbook - COFACE Rating ECONOMY STRUCTURE Dominated by the agricultural sector and the export of uranium, the economy of Niger remains extremely fragile and dependent on pluviometric conditions and raw material flows. After a 0% growth rate in 2004 a result of a major drought and of the locust plague, the Niger economy increased by over 7% in 2005 due to a good cereal harvest and to the development of the sector, mainly thanks to the Francophone Games which took place in Niamey in December 2005. Niger benefits from the support of the international financial institutions for the funding of development projects and of the State budget. The World Bank has earmarked an annual amount of approximately Bernard Krief Consultants Page 1/6
USD 75 million, the AfDB has programmed an aid of USD 40 million of which MUSD 22 for financing a road project, and the European Union EUR 211 million over the period (2000-2007). Sectorial distribution: Agriculture (41.1% of GDP, 86% of the working population) : millet, sorghum, peanuts, rice, breeding Industry (11.6% of GDP) : mines (uranium, gold, carbon), agro-food, textile, Construction & Civil Engineering Services (47% of GDP) : trade, transport, services CONSTRUCTION & CIVIL ENGINEERING SECTOR The sector is supported by infrastructure projects, mostly road projects, considered as a priority for opening up the country. In 2005 this sector has benefited from the organisation of the Francophone Games and numerous construction and rehabilitation projects have been completed for this occasion. Although the sector represents only 2% of GDP, according to estimations it accounts for 7% of the informal sector. PLAYERS Few European companies in the sector have a local structure in Nigeria. Only Satom (Vinci Group) is present. As regards local companies, there are few contractors with a turnover over MEUR 1 (Abarchi Moussa, Barka, Moussa Wazir, Getec) and several SMEs and individual companies. Furthermore, there is no sectoral professional federation. The Nigerian Agency of Public Interest Works for the Employment (Agence Nigérienne des Travaux d'intérêt Public pour l'emploi NIGETIP) plays an important role in the sector. It acts as delegated project manager for public building and infrastructure projects and supervises some projects of public interest financed by the Government and by donors. INFRASTRUCTURES Roads: the road network in Niger covers 14 630 km of which 3761 km are asphalt coated, mostly in the South of the country. Several projects are planned or currently being implemented in view of opening up the country, such as the Ayorou-Gao road (Mali border - 243 km partly financed with EU support), the Dori-Tera axis (Burkina Faso border - 91 km loan and donation of MUSD 41 by the AfDB), the planning of the Tibiri-Dakoro (115 km) and Madaoua-Bouza-Tahoua (170 km) roads with the support of the ADF and the WADB. Airports: Niger has 3 international airports (Niamey, Zinder, Agadez), 3 national airports and 20 aerodromes. Waterways: the river network is inadequately developed on the Niger River which is not navigable on its entire course nor all the year round. Railways: Niger has no railways on its territory, but it jointly exploits with Benin the Cotonou- Parakou railway within the Benin Niger Common Railway and Transport Organisation (OCBN). Water: approximately 59% of the population has access to drinking water, but less than 5% of the total population has access by means of a water distribution network. In addition, the national water network is unequally distributed, to the detriment of the rural areas. The sanitation network is quite insufficient to meet basic needs. The production, distribution and sale of drinking water are ensured by the SEEN (subsidiary of Veolia Water) for the urban centres. The Niger Water Patrimony Company (Société de Patrimoine des Eaux du Niger - SPEN) is responsible for the management of the patrimony and the execution of extension works of the drinking water distribution network. Niger has benefited from a number of bilateral supports in relation to water during the past years (IDA, AFD, Chinese cooperation) and especially will benefit from a loan amounting to EUR 15.1 million from the AfDB for financing a water valorisation project for agriculture including ten hydroagricultural structures. Bernard Krief Consultants Page 2/6
Energy: traditional energy (wood and agricultural residues) represent 94% of Niger s energy consumption. The country has an installed capacity for the production of electric power of 70 MW and has to import a large volume of energy from Nigeria in order to meet the demand. The production, transport and distribution of electricity in Niger are a State monopoly exercised through NIGELEC and SONICHAR, under the coordination of the Ministry for Mines and Energy. Many sites located on the Niger River and its affluents have been envisaged for the construction of hydroelectric dams: Kandadji with a potential of 1 322 GWh per year, Gambou with 360 GWh/year and Dyodyonga with 75 GWh/year. HOUSING AND FUNCTIONAL BUILDINGS With a demographic growth rate among the highest in the world (3.4%), Niger faces a massive increase of its population. The housing issue is crucial, especially in the urban areas, which, in addition, face rural migration. In the main towns and especially in Niamey, the construction of spontaneous dwellings mostly built by informal contractors and outside all basic urban and socio-educative infrastructures is yet another issue. Housing: the annual needs are estimated at 40,000 dwellings, but they are only partly covered by public and private programs. The Government has set as objective the construction of 20,000 dwellings during its mandate. The largest real estate project in Niger for the construction of social housing (4,000) was signed in November 2006 with a Canadian company. However, as in numerous countries of the region, several obstacles hinder housing construction: lack of solvency of the demand, lack of financing facilities and absence of a recovery mechanism for investment costs. In order to circumvent these hindrances, various structures are being set up, such as the Housing Bank, the Housing Fund and the Mortgage Guarantee Fund. The institutional and financing mechanism for housing in Niger includes: The Nigerian Company of Urbanism and Real Estate Construction (Société Nigérienne d Urbanisme et de Construction Immobilière - SONUCI ) which plays the role of a real estate promoter The banks for housing and urbanism: Crédit du Niger and Caisse de Prêts aux Collectivités Territoriales (CPCT) Functional buildings: the organisation of the Francophone Games in December 2005 was an opportunity for the Construction and Civil Engineering sector, including the construction and rehabilitation of sports, cultural and hotel infrastructures in the capital. Furthermore, as part of the rehabilitation projects for urban infrastructures financed by the AFD and completed in 2003, numerous commercial and socio-educational buildings have been rehabilitated in Niamey and in the regional capitals (markets, bus stations ). However, the needs are far from being covered in terms of commercial, educational, sanitary buildings BUILDING MATERIALS Cement: The Niger National Company of Cements (Société Nationale des Ciments du Niger - SNC) was privatised in 1998 and acquired by a consortium, constituted by the Norwegian company Scancem International and private entrepreneurs of Niger. The gypsum and limestone quarries are exploited in order to supply the cement plant. Other building materials: Niger has gravel, sand and laterite, needed for the construction of roads. However, exploitation conditions and distance of the quarries trigger high costs of building materials for some regions. This is the case, for example, of the N Guigmi region (South-East) where the nearest gravel pit is located at a distance of 600 km. Other building materials are mostly imported. Bernard Krief Consultants Page 3/6
KEY PLAYERS Institutions Ministry for Transport Immeuble CNSS BP 452 Niamey - Tel : + 227 73 47 62 - Fax : + 227 73 54 99 Department of the Inland, Sea and River Transports (DTTMF) BP 480 Niamey - Tel : + 227 73 83 63 - Fax : + 227 73 54 99 Department of Civil Aviation ( DAC ) BP 727 Niamey - Tel : + 227 72 32 67 - Fax : + 227 73 80 56 Agency for the Security of the Air Navigation in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) BP 1096 Niamey - Tel : + 227 73 25 17 - Fax : + 227 73 55 12 - Email : asecdrpp@intnet.ne Ministry for Urbanism, Housing and Land Registry Avenue de la Présidence BP 403 Niamey - Tel : + 227 72 46 19 - Fax : + 227 72 21 71 Housing Department (DH) : Tel : + 227 20 33 43 - Fax : + 227 72 21 71 Urbanism Department (DU) : Tel : + 227 20 33 11 - Fax : + 227 72 21 71 Construction and Architecture Department (DCA) : Tel : + 227 20 30 68 - Fax : + 227 72 21 71 National Laboratory of Public Works and Buildings Department (DRTP) : Tel : + 227 73 25 62 Fax : + 227 72 21 71 Regional Department of Public Works (DRTP) : Tel : + 227 75 39 83 - Fax : + 227 72 21 71 Ministry for Water, Environment and the Fight against Desertification Avenue de la Présidence BP 257 Niamey - Tel : + 227 73 47 22 - Fax :(227) 72 40 15 - Email : mre@intnet.ne Department of New Works for Drinking Water Supply (DTN) BP 257 Niamey - Tel : + 227 72 25 36 - Fax : +227 72 40 15 Ministry for Mines and Energy Immeuble ONAREM BP 11700 Niamey - Tel : + 227 73 45 81 - Fax : + 227 73 27 59 Department of Mines (DM) : Tel : + 227 73 65 29 - Fax : + 227 73 27 59 Department of Electricity, New and Renewable Energy: Tel : + 227 73 65 30 - Fax : + 227 73 27 59 Department of Geological and Mining Research (DRGM) : Tel : + 227 73 65 27 - Fax : + 227 73 27 59 Department of Hydrocarbons : Tel : + 227 73 39 69 - Fax : + 227 73 27 59 Ministry for Equipment Avenue de la Présidence - Tel : + 227 73 53 57 - Fax :+227 72 21 71 General Department of Public Works (DGTP) : Tel : + 227 72 21 57 - Fax : +227 72 21 71 Email : dgtp@intnet.ne Contractors Abarchi Moussa BP 2465 Niamey - Tel : +227 74 27 71 - Fax : +227 74 25 68 - Email : eam@intnet.ne Barka BP 10167 Niamey - Tel : +227 74 06 75 - Fax : +227 74 06 75 - Email : barka@intnet.ne Getech BP 12 151 Niamey - Tel : +227 75 45 87 6 Fax : +227 73 35 73 Moussa Wazir BP 356 Niamey - Tel : +227 74 27 40 - Fax : +227 74 34 23 Email : mwaziribtp@yahoo.fr NIGETIP - Agence Nigérienne des Travaux d'intérêt Public pour l'emploi BP. 12715, Niamey - Tel : +227 20 75 32 60 - FAX : +227 20 75 32 58 Sogea-Satom ZI Route des Brasseries, BP 139 Niamey - Tel : +227 74 27 78 - Fax : +227 74 26 90 - Email : satomdi@intnet.ne Web : www.vinci-construction.com Bernard Krief Consultants Page 4/6
Scp Agence Archi Plus BP 638 Niamey - Tel : +227 73 41 25 - Fax : +227 73 65 19 - Email : archi-pl@intnet.ne Building materials Duraplast Zone industrielle BP 10 854 Niamey - Tel : +227 74 11 76 - Fax : +227 74 33 42 - Email : duraplas@intnet.ne Galerie - Boha BP 2210 Niamey - Tel : +227 73 32 25 - Fax : +227 73 55 64 - Email : boha@intnet.ne SNC - Société Nationale des Ciments du Niger BP 355, Niamey - Tel : +227 74 26 02 - Fax : +227 74 19 15 - Email : snc-dc@intnet.ne Civil engineering and studies Betas 436 Rue du Terminus BP 401 Niamey - Tel : +227 73 79 95 - Fax : 227 73 42 61 - Email : cenimex@intnet.ne Bala & Himo BP 939 Niamey - Tel : +227 73 68 51 - Fax : +227 73 44 90 Senargrhy sa 6, rue du Sahel - BP 10467 Niamey - Tel : +227 73 56 56 - Fax : +227 73 35 73 - Email : senagrhy@intnet.ne Dogari Ingénierie BP 10 470 Niamey - Tel : +227 74 07 98 - Fax : +227 74 07 98 - Email : dogari@intnet.ne Real estate CPCT - Caisse de Prêts aux Collectivités Territoriales (CPCT) BP. 730, Niamey - Tel : +227 20 72 34 12 - Fax : +227 20 73 64 89 Crédit du Niger BP 213, Niamey - Tel : +227 72 27 01 - Fax : +227 72 23 90 - Email : cdn-ng@intnet.ne SONUCI - Société Nigérienne d Urbanisme et de Construction Immobilière BP. 532, Niamey - Tel : +227 20 72 28 12 - Fax : +227 20 72 36 25 - Email : sonuci@intnet.ne Water / Energy / Transport SONUCI - Société Nigérienne d Urbanisme et de Construction Immobilière BP 532, Niamey - Tel : +227 72 28 12 - Fax : +227 72 36 25 - Email : sonuci@intnet.ne SEEN - Société d'exploitation des Eaux du Niger BP 12209, Niamey - Tel : +227 72 25 00 - Fax : +227 72 26 21 SPEN - Société de Patrimoine des Eaux du Niger BP 10738, Niamey - Tel : +227 73 43 40 - Fax : +227 73 46 40 - Email : dg-spen@intnet.ne NIGELEC - Société Nigérienne d Electricité BP 11202, Niamey - Tel : +227 72 26 92 - Fax : +227 72 32 88 - Email : nigelec@intnet.ne SONICHAR - Société Nigérienne du Charbon BP 948, Niamey - Tel : +227 74 29 64 - Fax : +227 74 29 98 Banks Bank of Afrika Immeuble Sonara II, BP 10973, Niamey - Tel : 18 +228 73 36 20 - Fax : +228 73 38 - Email : bofafrni@intnet.ne BCEAO - Banque Centrale des Etats de l Afrique de l Ouest BP 487, Niamey - Tel : +228 72 24 91 - Fax : +228 73 47 43 BCN - Banque Commerciale du Niger BP 11363, Niamey - Tel : +228 73 33 31 Bernard Krief Consultants Page 5/6
BIA-Niger - Banque Internationale pour l Afrique au Niger BP 10350, Niamey Tel : +228 73 31 01 - Fax : +228 73 35 95 - EMail : bia@intnet.ne BINCI - Banque Islamique du Niger pour le Commerce et l Investissement- BP 12754, Niamey Tel : +228 73 27 40 - Fax : +228 73 47 35 - EMail : binci@intnet.ne ECOBANK Bd de la Liberté, BP 13804, Niamey Tel : +228 73 71 81 - Fax : +228 73 72 04 EMail : ecobankni@ekobank.com SONIBANK BP 891, Niamey Tel : +228 73 45 9 - Fax : +228 73 46 93 Bernard Krief Consultants Page 6/6