Today, we will talk about the capital of the great country of Niger, Niamey. Growing up, I often pondered on the name of the capital of Niger: was it a name that had something to do with Niger? Did it have to do with the fact the city is located on the banks of the Niger River, the third longest river of Africa, which has its source in Guinea near the Sierra Leone border, and runs in a crescent shape through Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, and Nigeria? What is the origin of the name Niamey?

The region of Niamey has been inhabited by local populations for as long as forever; the Songhay , Gurma, Hausa are some of its inhabitants. Niamey is said to have been founded by the Maouri, a subgroup of the Hausa people, who came from Matankari  (the historic capital of the Arewa) towards the end of the 19^th century. From local folklore, they first settled on the island called Neni Goungou (pronounce Neni Gungu) which faces the actual city of Niamey, before settling on the left bank of the Niger river, near a tree. This gave rise to the name Niame, from Nia the name of the tree, and me in the Zarma language which means ‘shore where water is drawn from.’ There is another legend, less likely in my opinion, which claims that the chief of a Kalle (subgroup of the Zarma people) clan would have exclaimed, talking to his slaves: Wa niammané, meaning “take this country.” The first version seems more likely.

Niamey started expanding from a village to a city in the year 1900 in a place which was previously a crossroad between several villages Foulani Koira, Gaweye, Kalley, Maourey, Zongo, Gamkalé, and Saga. The city grew on the left bank of the river as it meanders from west to east. European explorers arrived in the area quite late. Thus, European explorers who traveled through West Africa, such as Heinrich Barth and Charles Monteil never made it to the area. It is only in 1898 that the name of Niamey appears in the reports of the Hourst expedition, named after the French officer Émile Auguste Léon Hourst who was directing a hydrographic expedition. Thus, in 1901, Niamey was a village numbering 600 inhabitants at the arrival of the French mission Lenfant. Niamey replaced Zinder as the capital of Niger on 28 December 1926, because of its strategic position closer to major cities of French colonies, Upper Volta/Burkina Faso and Dahomey/Benin, contrary to Zinder which was closer to Nigeria a British colony. During the colonial period, Niamey also served as an important connection point in overland trade of agricultural goods. Niger is still a major provider of agricultural goods to neighboring countries, uranium, and more recently with oil discovery.

Today in Niamey, the vast majority of the population and government and commercial buildings are located on the eastern bank of the Niger river. The city center contains a number of wide boulevards linking roundabouts. Two bridges connect the two sides of the city – the Kennedy Bridge and the Friendship Bridge. The western bank area consists mainly of residential areas such as Gaweye, Saguia, Lamorde, Saga, and Karadje, as well as Abdou Moumouni University. This year, the government renamed major streets of the city after local heroes, as it should normally be. Over the years, the population has grown significantly and today Niamey counts almost 1 million inhabitants.

If you ever visit Niamey, do not forget to visit the Niger National Museum, which incorporates a zoo, a museum of vernacular architecture, a craft center and exhibits including dinosaur skeletons and the Tree of Ténéré, which was until 1973, one of the few remaining trees in the Sahara Desert and one of the most isolated trees on earth used as a landmark by caravans through the Ténéré region of northeast Niger. Other places of interest include the seven major market centers, the most popular being the large Niamey Grand Market, a traditional wrestling arena, the Great Mosque, and a horse racing track. Most of the colorful pottery sold in Niamey is hand made in the nearby village of Boubon. As you walk through the city, try to see if you can find that tree at the origin of the name Niamey, and enjoy the well-renowned Nigerien’s hospitality.