ATM fees and limits in Niger?

The situation with ATMs in Niger is grim for foreign tourists. My Mastercard from a major US bank was completely useless at every ATM I tried, from Ecobank to Orabank. You'll find that many of these machines are for local cards only. Your only dependable option is to carry cash. Bring a mix of US dollars and Euros, as both are generally accepted for exchange. You will get a better rate at a bank than on the street, and it's much safer. Don't make the mistake of relying on plastic here.

I'm an experienced traveler in West Africa, and my advice for Niger is to treat it as a cash-only country. There are some ATMs from banks like Société Générale, but their reliability with foreign cards is very low. I had one work briefly in Niamey, but the withdrawal limit was extremely low, and the fees were outrageous, something like 5,000 XOF per transaction. It's a much better and safer plan to bring a large quantity of cash and exchange it as needed. Don't risk being stranded without funds.

I cannot stress this enough: do not expect to be able to use an ATM in Niger. I spent a very stressful few days trying to get money, and it was a complete failure. The ATMs are simply not connected to international networks. My UK debit card was completely useless. The only way to get cash is to bring it with you in a secure way. You can exchange cash at the banks or at major hotels. The exchange rate for the CFA franc (XOF) is pretty standard, and you'll save yourself a lot of grief.

You'll find that ATMs in Niger are a huge challenge for foreign cards. The banking system is not set up for it, and you cannot rely on being able to withdraw money. I tried my Visa card at multiple banks in Niamey, including Bank of Africa and Ecobank, and all of them were declined. The only option is to bring a significant amount of cash with you in either US dollars or Euros. I recommend Euros as they are more widely used in the region. You can then exchange them at a bank or a reputable currency exchange office.