Public Transportation in Niger

There are many, many forms of transportation in Niger. The only general statement I can make about all of them combined is that I think the New York City Public Transit Authorities could probably learn a bit from Nigeriens: they know how to cram people into small spaces here.

Mota Allah. Literal translation: God’s car. Most Nigeriens use their feet to get most places. Usually walking anywhere also involves carrying various items on your head, and a baby on your back.

Bisa Dabobi. Riding animals! People here ride camels, horses, donkeys, and apparently cows. I have yet to see someone actually ride a cow, but as soon as I do I plan to get a ride.

Almalanke. Cart is one of the many words in Hausa that includes my name in it. Donkeys generally pull almalankes although ox, horses, and small children also pull them. This form of travel is most popular in and around villages that are not accessible by paved road: most of the country.

Moto. There are lots of motorcycles in Niger. I get the impression they’re very valuable because people keep plastic bubble wrap around parts of the motor. Very manly Nigerien men who sit on pink fuzzy seats drive them.

Mota/Taxi. When in Niamey, my fellow trainees and I generally take taxis. These white cars with red roves are generally early 90’s-ish Geoprism/Toyota Corola looking cars with tape players. Usually the taxi driver will continue picking up passengers, regardless of their destination, until he has four or five in the back seat plus two in the front.

Taxi drivers are notoriously chatty in Niamey. On a recent trip, my driver inquired first about my age, my phone number, and my martial status. Once I informed the driver about my dowry price (incase you were wondering, Mark Aldrich wants 600 cows for his eldest), he gave me a very sympathetic look and told me my father was crazy and would spend his life having to take care of me. No one in the world has 600 cows!  

Kar/Bus. Greyhound bus circa 1980’s. People take these buses mainly to cross the country. The seats are incredibly uncomfortable BUT they give you free yogurt!

Bush Taxi. Probably my favorite method of transportation in Niger. Guaranteed entertainment and sore ass at the end of your trip. Think of the 1970’s VW hippy vans, except instead of being packed with tie-dye sheets and lava lamps they carry upwards of 30 passengers inside and several hundreds of pounds of luggage, produce, and livestock.

This is the goat that lay beneath my seat on a recent bush taxi ride. I made the person sitting next to me take a picture of the goat’s head so I could be sure what I was feeling at my feet was in fact the goat’s hooves and not its teeth.

Bush Truck. I’ve heard this method of transportation called open truck, van, bus. The first time I saw a bush truck I was horrified. Images of refugee camps came into my head: people being stuffed into and out of trucks as if they were sardines. Then I rode in a bush truck, and it was awesome. It has all the entertainment of a bush taxi (multiplied by five because that’s how much more stuff/people are stuffed in) but none of the smells because it’s open top. Basically a bush taxi convertible.

  

Back of the Bush Truck!