The government of Niger has announced a sweeping series of reforms aimed at modernising local governance, tightening fiscal accountability, and improving administrative oversight across its municipalities.
The announcement was made during the opening ceremony of the 11th edition of the Day of Municipalities, held in the southeastern city of Zinder on Monday, June 23.
Presiding over the event, Minister of Territorial Administration Major General Mohamed Toumba outlined the government’s new direction, which includes the introduction of tamper-proof tax documentation, the deployment of advisory and legality oversight units in every region, and the rollout of enhanced monitoring systems for municipal operations.
“These measures are part of our broader commitment to responsible governance and the rebuilding of the Republic,” Toumba stated during his address.
Held under the theme “Local Governance in the Context of the Rebuilding of the Republic,” the gathering has brought together key stakeholders in decentralisation and representatives from municipalities across the country.
The event, which runs until June 25, is also hosting delegations from fellow Sahelian nations Burkina Faso and Mali, both members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), highlighting a spirit of regional cooperation amid shared governance challenges.
Alongside policy discussions, the conference featured a dedicated forum on food sovereignty and local production.
The forum emphasised the importance of harnessing municipal-level agricultural and artisanal potential as a strategy for economic resilience and community development.
Attendees advocated for targeted investment in local resources and underscored the role of municipalities in advancing food self-sufficiency.
The Zinder summit marks a critical juncture in Niger’s decentralisation journey, with the proposed reforms signalling a decisive shift toward transparency, citizen engagement, and fiscal discipline at the grassroots level.
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