Niger, located in West Africa, shares borders with seven countries, including Algeria and Libya in the Maghreb region, and serves as a key host for populations fleeing violence and instability from neighboring countries such as Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Chad. Niger’s geographic location, coupled with regional conflicts, poverty, and the impacts of climate change, significantly influences the displacement dynamics and protection environment in the country.

Niger’s legal framework for refugees is guided by its commitments to the 1951 Refugee Convention, its 1967 Protocol, and the 1969 OAU Convention on Refugees in Africa. The Refugee Act of 1997, along with its subsequent implementing decrees, provides a legal basis for ensuring refugees’ rights to property, security, and legal recourse. The country’s laws protect refugees from discrimination and provide access to basic services. Despite this legal framework, the capacity to manage refugee protection and services remains constrained, especially in light of ongoing regional conflicts.