Teachers across Niger’s public primary and secondary schools launched a 72-hour nationwide strike on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, demanding improved salaries, job security, and better working conditions, particularly for those in conflict-affected regions. The strike, organized by the Dynamics of Education and Training Unions—an umbrella body of teachers’ associations—will continue through Friday, May 23, affecting regular classes, exams, extracurricular activities, and sports programs across the country.
The unions are calling for a favorable and uniform salary scale for all education personnel, timely payment of allowances to contract and vocational training teachers and enhanced protection for teachers posted in volatile regions, especially near Niger’s borders with Mali and Burkina Faso, where extremist violence has escalated. The strike follows a similar three-day work stoppage from May 14–16, which also drew strong participation. Union leaders say that negotiations with government officials, which began on May 8, are still ongoing but have not yet yielded tangible outcomes.
“The government has not demonstrated sufficient urgency in addressing our concerns,” said Almoustapha Moussa Idé, Secretary of the National Union of Education and Training Agents of Niger (SYNAFEN). “Teachers continue to face economic hardship and security threats.” In a symbolic conclusion to the strike, teachers are expected to hold collective prayers on Friday, signaling both spiritual solidarity and continued pressure on the government to act.
The strike reflects broader labour unrest in Niger, a country grappling with economic strain, security challenges, and political transition following the 2023 military takeover. Education unions have become increasingly vocal, arguing that without investment in teachers and safe learning environments, Niger’s development goals under its Education and Training Sector Strategy 2024–2030 remain at risk.
