Niger task force to unlock stalled public projects

Niamey — Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has convened an emergency inter-ministerial council at the Presidential Administrative Building in Niamey to address critical infrastructure bottlenecks. At the heart of the meeting was a comprehensive audit revealing 245 publicly funded projects and assets languishing due to financial, legal, technical, or operational constraints, with total investments exceeding several trillion FCFA.

According to the government’s detailed assessment, 30 completed infrastructure projects remain idle, with 25 currently stalled, trapping 279 billion FCFA in frozen investments. Fifteen of these projects have been prioritized as “high-impact” due to their economic and strategic significance.

The audit also uncovered 23 underutilized assets already in operation, valued at an estimated 1,065 billion FCFA, alongside 94 ongoing projects—62 of which are at a standstill. The latter require additional funding of 973 billion FCFA to reach completion, with a cumulative investment of 5,227 billion FCFA already committed.

State-owned real estate and land holdings were also scrutinized. In total, 97 properties were identified, primarily located in Niamey, with a combined market value of 132 billion FCFA.

In response to these findings, Prime Minister Sonko announced the immediate establishment of a dedicated task force under his leadership. The committee, which includes key government stakeholders, will meet weekly and is tasked with delivering an operational roadmap by June 30, 2026. Its mandate includes accelerating project delivery, proposing sustainable management models, and identifying strategies to repurpose and monetize dormant assets.

The diagnostic report highlights financial constraints as the primary obstacle. Among the stalled projects, 42 face funding gaps, payment delays, or insufficient investment allocations. Other challenges include technical hurdles, legal disputes, and a lack of viable operational frameworks.

Sonko emphasized the “paradoxical situation” of completed but unutilized infrastructure, some of which have been idle for years. He attributed these delays to coordination failures, incomplete handovers, or misalignment with actual public needs.

Several flagship projects have been earmarked for intervention, including the Foundiougne and Soumbédioune maritime ports, youth and citizenship centers across multiple regions, the Naatangué ANIDA village farms, and agropoles in Mpal, Adéane, Dioulacoulon, and Mbellacadiao.

Major blocked initiatives include the Sine-Saloum University, 45 digital public spaces (ENO), regional airports in Saint-Louis, Matam, and Kolda, the Ndayane container terminal, the Joola Memorial, and the Aristide Le Dantec Hospital.

The government is also exploring public-private partnerships to optimize the use of assets such as national stadiums, protected areas, and key state properties, including diplomatic representations abroad.

This sweeping audit and restructuring effort aims to enhance the efficiency of public spending, reduce idle assets, and improve the financial viability of state-funded infrastructure.