The United States has added Niger to its highest Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory, citing worsening security conditions marked by terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime, civil unrest, and limited access to emergency and healthcare services.
The advisory, issued by the U.S. Department of State on January 30, 2026, warns Americans against all travel to Niger. It also notes that U.S. authorities are unable to provide routine or emergency consular services outside the capital, Niamey, as a state of emergency and movement restrictions remain in force across large parts of the country.
U.S. officials referenced recent terrorist activity, including a gunfight involving Islamic State–affiliated militants at Diori Hamani International Airport, as evidence of the deteriorating security situation and heightened risks for foreigners.
Under current security regulations, foreigners traveling outside Niamey are required to use Nigerien military escorts. U.S. government employees face strict security measures, including armored vehicles, curfews, and restrictions on visiting restaurants and open-air markets. American citizens still in Niger have been advised to adopt similar precautions.
With Niger’s addition, the number of African countries on the U.S. government’s highest travel alert has risen to eight. Others on the Level 4 list include Libya, Mali, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, and parts of the Sahel, where insurgency, political instability, and weak state control continue to pose serious risks.
Level 4 is the highest category in the U.S. travel advisory system and is reserved for countries facing extreme threats such as armed conflict, terrorism, or widespread violence that significantly endanger foreign nationals.
Beyond travel warnings, Level 4 designations often carry wider consequences, including sharp declines in tourism, delays or cancellations of foreign investment, and reduced diplomatic engagement as embassies scale back operations.
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