There is currently one railway in Niger, built between 2014 and 2016 between Niamey and Dosso by the French Bolloré conglomerate. The objective was to connect Niamey to the rail network in Benin and thus to the coast. But competing commercial interests by several parties resulted in endless litigation and the connection to Benin never materialized, resulting in the 145 km Niamey-Dosso stretch lying orphaned and unused, with the tracks ending in the middle of nowhere some 6 km south of Dosso. After several years of neglect, the tracks are damaged to such an extent in some places that they have become unusable.See: Bollore's Niger-Benin rail project in jeopardy after rival wins court order, Reuters, 27 Nov. 2015.See: Niger, Benin Seek Resolution of Rail Project Dispute , Railbus.com, 9 Oct. 2019. At the Niamey Terminus Station, the rails are kinked to such an extent by the summer heat that the train would not be able to leave the station (see image).
A rail connection from Maradi into Nigeria is being considered.
Maps UN Map
Built, but not operational Niamey terminus station (Niamey, capital of Niger). The station, officially inaugurated on 7 April 2014, is the first one opened in the country. "Inauguration of the first train station in Niamey" (Radio France Internationale)"A 80 Year-long Wait: Niger Gets its First Train Station" (Global Voices Online)"First railway in Niger" (RailwaysAfrica) Niamey, airport station. Guesselbodi station. Kouré station. Kodo station. Birni N'Gaouré station. Koygorou station. Dosso station.
Built and operational in Benin ( gauge) UN Cotonou (0 km) - port in Benin Parakou (438 km) - railhead in north
Proposed From Parakou (Benin), to Dosso (Niger) Ndali Kandi Guéné Lama-Kara Malanville border (574 km) near Niger River bridge. Gaya
From Nigeria ( gauge Kano - junction (0 km) (capital Kano State)
Dutse Kazaure Daura Katsina (state capital Katsina State) Jibia border Maradi, Niger (capital Maradi Department (248 km) Niamey - national capital. . (existing narrow 1067mm gauge) Zaria - junction (0 km) Gusau - (capital Zamfara State) Kauran Namoda railhead (informationng.com)
From Côte d'Ivoire via Burkina Faso Abidjan (border) Burkina Faso (border) Niamey"Connecting Niger to Côte d'Ivoire" (railwaysofafrica.com)
See also Railway stations in Benin Railway stations in Nigeria Railway stations in Burkina Faso Railway stations in Côte d'Ivoire AfricaRail West Africa Regional Rail Integration
References
External links