Natural resources of Niger
Oil, gas, minerals, forests and water in Niger: what it produces, how it ranks in the world, who mines it and what it earns. Every figure is from an official source and is updated when the source is.
Resource rents, share of GDP (2021)
6.4 %
Resources, share of goods exports (2025)
96.2 %
Crude oil, barrels a day (2025)
101,411
Forest, share of land (2024)
0.8 %
Source: World Bank; UN Comtrade; U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Oil, gas and coal
Niger produced about 101,411 barrels of crude oil a day in 2025. Proved oil reserves were 150 million barrels in 2021. Coal output was 194 thousand tonnes in 2024.
View the data as a table
| Period | Crude oil |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 20 |
| 2013 | 20 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2016 | 13 |
| 2017 | 16 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 15 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2024 | 31 |
| 2025 | 101 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Data. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Mining and minerals
The U.S. Geological Survey records 7 mineral commodities with published production in Niger between 2017 and 2021, from metals and gemstones to industrial minerals and fuels. The table includes processed products such as cement and steel, which USGS reports alongside raw minerals.
Showing 7 of 7
| Gold, mine, Au content | Metals | kilograms | 914 | 6,208 | 5,224 | 2,361 | 2,000 | 2017: r; 2018: r; 2019: r; 2021: e |
| Silver, mine, Ag content | Metals | kilograms | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | Not published | 2021: -- |
| Cement, hydraulic | Industrial Minerals | thousand metric tons | 51 | 190 | 350 | 350 | 400 | 2017: e; 2018: r; 2019: r; 2020: e; 2021: e |
| Coal, bituminous | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | Not published | 233,000 | 224,000 | 226,000 | 247,000 | 248,000 | 2017: r; 2018: r; 2019: r; 2021: e |
| Crude | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 4,745 | 4,380 | 4,015 | 3,468 | 3,066 | 2017: r; 2018: r; 2019: r |
| Refinery | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 5,700 | 5,990 | 6,500 | 7,300 | 7,000 | 2017: e; 2019: r, e; 2021: e |
| Uranium, mine, U content | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | Not published | 3,485 | 2,910 | 2,983 | 2,991 | 2,248 | 2017: r; 2018: r |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook, country tables. Last checked 24 October 2026.
What natural resources earn
Natural resource rents were 6.4% of GDP in 2021, with forests and timber the largest part. That ranks Niger 30th of 54 African countries. See all 54.
View the data as a table
| Period | Oil | Natural gas | Minerals | Coal | Forests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 0.3 % | 0.1 % | 6.5 % |
| 2011 | 0.9 % | 0.0 % | 0.5 % | 0.1 % | 6.7 % |
| 2012 | 2.7 % | 0.0 % | 0.3 % | 0.1 % | 7.3 % |
| 2013 | 4.2 % | 0.0 % | 0.1 % | 0.0 % | 7.0 % |
| 2014 | 2.8 % | 0.0 % | 0.1 % | 0.0 % | 7.4 % |
| 2015 | 0.9 % | 0.0 % | 0.1 % | 0.0 % | 8.7 % |
| 2016 | 0.9 % | 0.0 % | 0.1 % | 0.0 % | 8.6 % |
| 2017 | 1.3 % | 0.0 % | 0.1 % | 0.0 % | 8.0 % |
| 2018 | 1.4 % | 0.0 % | 0.4 % | 0.0 % | 4.9 % |
| 2019 | 0.9 % | 0.0 % | 0.1 % | 0.0 % | 4.7 % |
| 2020 | 0.4 % | 0.0 % | 0.2 % | 0.0 % | 4.9 % |
| 2021 | 0.6 % | 0.0 % | 0.8 % | 0.0 % | 4.9 % |
| 2022 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2023 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2024 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2025 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2026 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Forest, share of land (2024)
0.8 %
Arable land, share of land (2024)
14.0 %
Renewable fresh water per person (2022)
138 m³
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Method and sources
Oil, gas and coal output and coal reserves are from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Oil and gas proved reserves are the EIA figures republished by Our World in Data; oil is converted from cubic metres to barrels at the standard factor. World production, reserves and ranks are from the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries, ranked among the countries USGS names. The full list of commodities and the companies that mine them are from the USGS Minerals Yearbook country tables, which run a few years behind. Rents, land and water are from the World Bank, and export shares from UN Comtrade. Nothing is estimated by us. Figures last checked on 24 October 2026.
USGS country page for Niger. EIA international energy data. World Bank resource rents.
Frequently asked questions
What natural resources does Niger have?
Niger's main natural resources are crude oil and timber. Oil, gas and coal made up 92.6% of its goods exports in 2025, and all resources together 96.2%. The World Bank puts natural resource rents at 6.4% of GDP in 2021, mostly from forests and timber. The U.S. Geological Survey also records production of gold, silver, coal and uranium.
Does Niger produce oil?
Yes. Niger produced about 101,411 barrels of crude oil a day in 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Proved oil reserves were 150 million barrels in 2021.
What is Niger's most valuable natural resource?
By export earnings, oil, gas and coal: 92.6% of goods exports in 2025, according to UN Comtrade.
How much do natural resources contribute to Niger's economy?
Natural resource rents, the value of resources extracted minus the cost of extracting them, were 6.4% of GDP in 2021. That ranks Niger 30th of 54 African countries.