Oil in Niger: A Foundation for Promise or a New Resource Curse?
Publisher: The Extractive Industries and Society
Author(s): Halima Goumandakoye
Date: 2016
Topics: Extractive Resources, Governance
Countries: China, Niger
It is no secret that many poor, oil-rich countries struggle to develop. This paper offers initial reflections on the case of Niger, long one of the largest uranium producers in the world but which has recently begun to extract oil. Despite being a top-five global producer of uranium for decades, Niger remains near the bottom of the UN Human Development Index. Will a more diversified extractive industries portfolio which now includes oil help to offset or simply perpetuate the country's resource curse?