Niger's Labor Code requires advance notice (or pay in lieu of) to be served before the lawful dismissal of an employee. The notice period's duration is determined by the collective agreement between the employer and the trade union or the individual agreement between the employer and employee. A contract can be terminated without notice in probation or in the event of gross negligence.
For example, employees covered by the Inter-occupational Collective Agreement are subject to the following notice periods:
Niger's Labor Code provides that it is the employer's responsibility to apply for a foreign employee's work permit. An application for a work visa is to be submitted to the Ministry of Labor and must include the following documents:
The authorities issue a visa within 1 month from the date of application submission. After this time, the visa is deemed to have been granted automatically. The 1-month period can be suspended for a maximum of 15 days in the event that more information is requested by the authorities.
The visa contains the seal, the signature, and the number affixed on each page of the contract by the competent authority for validation. The competent authority provides 5 copies of the employment contract: 1 to the employer, 1 to the employee, 1 to the public employment service, 1 to the local labor inspectorate, and 1 to the social security organization. The contract must be presented to the immigration services and to any requisition of the labor inspection services. The duration of the visa is 2 years, renewable once. The employer must take the necessary steps to ensure that the foreign employee is replaced by a Nigerian employee at the end of the maximum period of 4 years.
Niger's labor law mandates that employers provide paid annual leave at a rate of at least 2.5 days per month of service. The total duration of leave is increased by 2 days after 20 years of continuous service in the same company, by 4 days after 25 years of service, and by 6 days after 30 years of service. Employees under 21 years of age are eligible for 30 days of paid annual leave, irrespective of their service duration.
An employee is eligible for leave after completing 1 year of service. The employer must pay a leave allowance equal to the employee's average salary over the last 12 months for the leave's duration. The enjoyment of the leave may be postponed by agreement between the parties.
Niger's labor law indicates that the standard workweek is 40 hours. Employees working more than this number of hours are eligible for overtime. The law also mandates a weekly rest period of at least 24 continuous hours for all employees.
The organization of working hours follows a seasonal system. During part of the year, working hours are strictly structured with fixed rest days, while during the remainder of the year, employers are allowed more flexibility in how the standard workweek is arranged, provided daily working time limits are respected.
Niger's labor law provides employees the right to fully paid maternity leave of 14 weeks, of which 8 weeks are to be taken after delivery. This leave can be extended by 3 weeks in case of any complications due to pregnancy or childbirth. Compulsory leave begins at least 2 weeks before the delivery.
Female insured employees with at least 6 months of employment are eligible for cash maternity benefits from the social insurance fund. The benefit provides 50% of the insured's last monthly earnings (the employer is liable to pay an additional 50% to employees with at least 2 years of service) for 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after the expected date of childbirth. This benefit may be extended for up to 3 weeks in case of any complications due to pregnancy or childbirth.
Social security also grants pre-natal benefits to insured employees as a total of XOF 13,500 in 3 installments.
The national government of Niger sets the minimum wage. The minimum wage for all employees that was last set in 2012 to XOF 173.35 (West African CFA francs) per hour or XOF 30,047 per month, was increased in 2025 to 42,000 XOF per month.
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