At least 22 people have died, including 17 soldiers, after two buses collided head-on in southern Niger, the country’s transport ministry said Saturday, August 8.
The crash happened Friday, August 7, about 50 kilometres (35 miles) from the town of Madaoua, according to the ministry’s statement. Another 37 people were injured.
Niger’s state news agency, ANP, reported Saturday that one of the buses was carrying soldiers and confirmed an investigation into the cause of the crash has been opened.
Part of a wider road safety crisis
The crash comes as Niger’s authorities run an active campaign to raise awareness about road accidents, which occur frequently across the vast Sahel nation.
In 2025 alone, Niger recorded more than 7,000 road accidents, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and more than 4,400 serious injuries, according to the Nigerien Agency for Road Safety.
Speeding, drunk driving, and poor conditions of both roads and vehicles remain the leading causes of crashes in the country.