Tourism information
The official but very small tourist office is located on the west side Ave. du Président Henry Luebke Tel. 73 24 47 just north of Place de la Fraternité on the same block as the Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire visa extensions. Be sure, also, to check out the Niger Ministry of Tourisme in French, which lists local tour operators (http://www.niger-tourisme...). InfosNiger.com also in French has a list of Niamey tour operators (http://www.infos-niger.co...) and the embassy of Niger in Canada has some good tourism info "Travel & Tourism.
Local operators include:
History
The comparably fertile area around Niamey has been inhabited for millennia by tribes like the Gurma also found in Burkina Faso, but the founders of the village would be the Maouri, who settled on an island called Neni Goungou facing the current Niamey in the late nineteenth century, before coming to settle on the left bank of the river. In 1898, the invading French found the village a suitable location for a military base and in 1905 the city, located in a stable region, became the capital of the Territoire Militaire du Niger Military Territory of Niger. Niamey was inhabited by about 600 people in 1901 when missionaries arrived in the village and increased to nearly 2,000 after the arrival of the French and its estabnlishment as the national capital. In 1911, the capital was transferred to the newly-stable and more hospitable location at Zinder. However, tensions grew with the British colony of Nigeria very close to Zinder and in 1928 the status of capital was transferred back to Niamey. By the time Niger became an independent colony in 1960, the city ballooned to 30,000 people. Niamey is the largest city in Niger with a population of 750,000 by 2005.
Climate
Niamey has a hot and generally dry desert climate with a short rainy season from June to September when there can be severe thunderstorms with occasional flooding. Rains can be unpredictable though and sometimes the rainy season means just a few showers now and then.
As with much of West Africa, poor infrastructure leads to frequent flooding and miserable roads during the wet season, so it is best to avoid travel to Niamey from June-September especially if traveling to nearby countries which receive even more rain.
Average annual rainfall is around 550 mm. The coolest and driest and arguably best weather of the year is between December and January with averages of 34/15 93/57F and no rainfall. In October, November and February the weather is hotter and still dry with 38C 100F in the afternoon and 18-23C 64-73F at night. March to May are the hottest months of the year topping out at 42C 108F in the afternoon although 45C/114F temps aren't uncommon and a warm 25C 77F at night; all three months can see just a few showers.