If you lived in Niger instead of Benin, you would:

Health

be 44.7% less likely to be obese

In Benin, 12.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Niger, that number is 6.8% of people as of 2024.

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be 37.1% less likely to die by suicide

Benin has a suicide rate of 7.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Niger, it is 4.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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see 44.5% less spent on your healthcare

Benin spends $138 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Niger spends $76 as of 2023.

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have 82.4% fewer doctors per person

Benin has 2.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Niger has 0.4 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 75.5% less likely to be unemployed

In Benin, 1.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Niger, that number is 0.4% as of 2025.

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be 13.8% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Benin, 36.2% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Niger, however, that number is 41.2% as of 2021.

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make 53.2% less money

Benin has a GDP per capita of $1,658 as of 2025, while in Niger, the GDP per capita is $775 as of 2025.

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Life

be 32.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Benin, approximately 518.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Niger, 350.0 women do as of 2023.

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have 23.9% more children

In Benin, there are approximately 33.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Niger, there are 41.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 30.7% less likely to be literate

In Benin, the literacy rate is 51.4% as of 2022. In Niger, it is 35.6% as of 2022.

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be 45.1% more likely to die during infancy

In Benin, approximately 45.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Niger, on the other hand, 65.6 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 64.7% less likely to have access to electricity

In Benin, approximately 57% of people have electricity access (70% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Niger, that number is 20% of people on average (67% in urban areas, and 10% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 54.2% less likely to have internet access

In Benin, approximately 34.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Niger, about 15.6% do as of 2024.

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be 23.2% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Benin, approximately 70% of people have access to drinking water (76% in urban areas, and 63% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Niger, that number is 53% of people on average (87% in urban areas, and 46% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 26.0% more on education

Benin spends 3.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Niger spends 4.1% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 21.3% more on healthcare

Benin spends 3.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Niger, that number is 4.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 60.7% less home broadband

Benin has 0.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Niger has 0.1 as of 2024.

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live with 11.2 times more strain on fresh water

Benin withdraws 1% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Niger withdraws 11% as of 2022.

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use 40.9% less electricity

Benin uses 115 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Niger uses 68 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 75.5% less CO2

Benin emits 0.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Niger emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 20.8% more likely to die from air pollution

In Benin, air pollution causes 77.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Niger, it causes 93.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019). How we calculate this

Niger: At a glance

Niger is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 1,266,700 sq km. Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a counter coup by military officers who restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and in 2009 spearheaded a constitutional amendment that would allow him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, a military coup deposed TANDJA, immediately suspended the constitution, and dissolved the Cabinet. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou emerged victorious from a crowded field in the election following the coup and was inaugurated in April 2011. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Movement for Justice, a predominantly ethnic Tuareg rebel group, emerged in February 2007, and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Successful government offensives in 2009 ended the rebellion. Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria.
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