Niger: teacher strikes disrupt academic activities across the country

Educational activities in Niger have slowed significantly since Monday, May 12, 2025, due to strike actions led by teachers protesting their working and living conditions.

Nearly thirty unions, united under the banner of the “Dynamique des syndicats du secteur de l’éducation et de la formation,” launched a coordinated strike, with more than 150,000 teachers participating in a three-day work stoppage.

According to Laouali Issoufou, secretary general of the National Union of Teachers of Niger, the strike has been widely observed not only in the capital, Niamey, but also across the country.

The unions’ list of demands includes the direct integration of contractual teachers into the public service without competitive exams, regular payment of salaries and back pay, and enhanced protection for education staff working in high-risk areas.