Two separate West African countries that share a border and a river. Niger is the landlocked country to the north, largely in the Sahara, with French as its official language. Nigeria is the far more populous country to the south, on the Atlantic coast, with English as its official language. Both are named after the River Niger.
The core difference
- Niger — landlocked, mostly desert, official language French, capital Niamey.
- Nigeria — on the Gulf of Guinea, Africa's most populous country, official language English, capital Abuja and largest city Lagos.
They share a long border, and Niger lies directly north of Nigeria.
The shared name
Both take their name from the River Niger, the great river of West Africa, which rises in the Guinea highlands, arcs north-east into the Sahel and then turns south-east through Nigeria to the Atlantic. The river's name predates both states and is generally traced to local names for it rather than to Latin.
The colonial split
The two were administered by different European powers, which is the reason for the language difference that persists today: Niger was part of French West Africa, Nigeria was a British colony. Both became independent in 1960.
Pronunciation
The country Niger is usually pronounced in the French manner in English — roughly nee-ZHAIR — while NY-jer is heard for the river. Nigeria is ny-JEER-ee-uh. The demonyms differ too: a person from Niger is Nigerien, from Nigeria Nigerian, and those two words are easy to mistype for each other.
Frequently asked questions
Are Niger and Nigeria the same country?
No. They are separate neighbouring countries in West Africa. Niger is landlocked and French-speaking; Nigeria is coastal, English-speaking and far more populous.
Why do they have similar names?
Both are named after the River Niger, which flows through the region and gave its name to each territory.
What is someone from Niger called?
A Nigerien. Someone from Nigeria is a Nigerian — the two demonyms differ by one letter.