Keita is a town and commune in Niger. It is the capital of the Keita Department, within the Tahoua Region, and has an urban population of 10,631 as of 2012.
Geography Keita is located north-east of the national capital, Niamey. The town is in the semi-arid Sahel, and is threatened by famine. Keita is divided into the districts of Idewaran, Lissawan and Moulela.Répertoire National des Communes (RENACOM) . Institut National de la Statistique, accessed 22 January 2011.
History Keita became the chef-lieu of the eponymous canton in 1913. In 1917, Tuareg insurgents based in Italian-occupied Libya attacked and plundered the city, killing several people including canton chief Afadandan Ichawa. The attack led to a successful counter-offensive of the French.Giraut 1994, p. 166 In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Keita developed a rising number of inhabitants and transformed from a village to a small town.Giraut 1994, p. 167 Keita became the prefecture seat in 1964.Frédéric Giraut: La petite ville. Un milieu adapté aux paradoxes de l’Afrique de l’Ouest. Etudes sur le semis et comparaison du système social et-spatial de sept localités: Badou et Anié (Togo), Jasikan et Kadjebi (Ghana), Torodi, Tamaské et Keïta (Niger). Dissertation, Universität Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne 1994 (Online-Version; PDF; 2,3 MB), p. 129
By the early 1980s, clear signs of desertification had begun. As a result, a development plan was signed in December 1983 that stressed sustainable long-term development of resources. The "Keita Project" was a 16-year plan that led to digging wells and the drilling of boreholes for irrigation of crops and for drinking water. Trees were planted to prevent soil erosion and promote agriculture. From 1984 to 1990, nearly of land was "reclaimed" and of rural roads were built, requiring heavy labor from the inhabitants of the town.Giraut 1994, p. 179-180
Demographics In the 1977 census, the population of Keita was measured to be 3,572. By 1988, its population had increased to 6,644. In the 2001 census, the population of Keita was 8,633. It increased to 10,631 as of 2012. The town is a center of Tuareg people, who have migrated from surrounding areas.Giraut 1994, p. 131 According to a study in 1988, 10.9 percent of the population is permanent migrants, with 8.5 percent being seasonal migrants.Giraut 1994, p. 169
Economy and infrastructure Agriculture is the main occupation in Keita, and a nearby pond (currently dry) facilitated the growth of garden crops and millet. Although Tamaske is a bigger center of commerce in the region, Keita has some artisanal production. Ironworking is practiced, as was mining until the end of the colonial period.
There is a bus station in the town.Giraut 1994, p. 181 Keita has a limited amount of electricity.Giraut 1994, p. 233 A community radio station with a transmitter of 150 W was established in Keita in 1998. Keita is the site of a civil court.Bachir Talfi: Note sur l’organisation judiciaire. Nigerien Justice Ministry, accessed 24. September 2012. One of the biggest infrastructural problems in the city is the extremely poor medical care. In addition, 46% of the population has no access to clean drinking water.. ANIYA Coopération Décentralisée Niger-France, accessed 20 October 2016
Notable people Former foreign minister of Niger Aïchatou Boulama Kané was born in Keita in 1955.
Twin towns Pesaro, Italy is twinned with Keita, in the initiative of the Italian development firm that operates in Keita.Giraut 1994, p. 269
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