Niger’s fuel exports rose to 88% of merchandise exports in 2024.

Neither way is good in itself. A higher share means export earnings rest on fewer products and follow fuel markets more closely. A lower share means a wider mix of goods. Which suits a country better depends on fuel prices and on what else it can sell. The latest figure is 88% of merchandise exports for 2024, against 18.4% a year earlier, a rise of 69.6 percentage points. Since 2015 the lowest reading was 18.4% in 2023 and the highest is the 2024 figure, so Niger now sits at the top of its own range.

Why it matters. With 88% of goods exports coming from fuel, Niger's foreign earnings now move with oil prices and shipment volumes. The state budget and the supply of foreign currency for imports are exposed to the same swings. Firms selling other goods abroad make up a small slice of export value, so changes in fuel trade will largely set the direction of the country's export income.