Zinder Region

Zinder Region anchors Niger's eastern commercial economy, with the third-largest city serving as a historic trading hub connecting the Sahara to the Nigerian markets of Kano. The Zinder-Kano Road remains critical infrastructure fostering economic ties with Nigeria, Niger's largest trading partner. Leatherwork and leather tanning sustain traditional craft industries, with dyed fabrics and leather goods flowing through informal networks that extend into Nigeria. Chinese investment has transformed the regional economy: a $5 billion deal brought the SORAZ refinery (20,000 barrels/day) near Zinder, along with pipeline infrastructure to export crude oil. This represents Niger's attempt to diversify beyond uranium. The region borders Nigeria's Jigawa and Yobe states, with cross-border trade historically more stable than the violence-plagued west. Agriculture follows the rain-fed patterns common across Niger's south: millet, sorghum, and cowpeas where conditions permit, livestock herding in drier zones. The 2023 coup and subsequent border disruptions affected trade flows, though Zinder's eastern position meant less direct exposure to the Benin border closure than western regions experienced. By 2026, Zinder's trajectory depends on whether the SORAZ refinery operates at capacity, whether the Zinder-Kano road sees increased traffic as borders normalize, and whether the relative stability of the east holds while western Niger burns.