Niger vs Nigeria
Niger and Nigeria are neighbours named after the same river, and the similarity ends almost immediately there — they are two of the most different countries in West Africa in every measurable way.
| 🇳🇪 Niger | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Niamey | Abuja |
| Continent | Africa | Africa |
| Population | 26,200,000 | 223,800,000 |
| Area | 1,267,000 km² | 923,768 km² |
| Currency | West African CFA Franc | Naira |
| Main language | French | English |
Nigeria's population is roughly 9× Niger's.
Nigeria has well over 220 million people and Africa's largest economy, with a long Atlantic coastline and major oil reserves. Niger is landlocked, mostly Sahara and Sahel desert, and has a fraction of Nigeria's population and economic output — the two countries sit right next to each other on the map but occupy almost opposite ends of West Africa's range of wealth and geography.
The confusion is entirely a naming accident: both took their name from the Niger River, which flows through Niger before curving south through Nigeria on its way to the Gulf of Guinea.