Maradi
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The UK Foreign Office currently advises against travel to all or parts of Niger. This guide is for a safer time. Check the latest travel advice.
At a glance
- Country
- Niger
- Region
- Maradi Region
- Population
- 270,000
- Best time to go
- November to February
- Main airport
- None with regular flights — nearest international is Niamey (NIM)
- Coordinates
- 13.50°N, 7.10°E
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Overview
Maradi is Niger's commercial capital, a Hausa trading town close to the Nigerian border where groundnuts, grain, cloth and livestock change hands. It sits in the green valley of the Goulbi river, among the country's most fertile farmland.
This guide is written for a time when travel is advisable again. Maradi has few formal sights, but its markets and traditional architecture give an honest sense of everyday life in the Sahel.
Things to see
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Photo: Mab.black, CC BY-SA 3.0 Grand Market
The heart of the town, a sprawling market where traders from Niger and Nigeria meet.
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Photo: Moutari Abdou, CC BY-SA 3.0 Chief's Palace
The traditional palace, decorated with patterned Hausa relief work on its walls.
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Photo: Ibrahimassoumane, CC0 Goulbi valley
The seasonal river valley around the town, green with crops after the rains.
Things to do
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Browse fabrics
Bright wax-print cloth and tailors sit side by side in the market lanes.
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Photo: Anasskoko, CC BY-SA 4.0 Try Hausa food
Look for millet porridge, grilled meat and spicy groundnut snacks at street stalls.
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Photo: Adamou Labo Abdoul Aziz, CC0 Watch the market traffic
Market days bring camels, donkey carts and lorries in from the countryside, a lively spectacle of regional trade.
Where to stay
Town centre
The few modest hotels are close to the market and main roads.
Hotels in Town centreAdministrative quarter
Quieter streets with guesthouses used by aid workers and officials.
Hotels in Administrative quarter
Getting around
Taxis and motorbike taxis are the usual way to get around this compact town.
Maradi is a long road journey east of Niamey, on the main route towards Zinder.
When to go
The cooler dry months from November to February are the most comfortable. March to June is extremely hot, and the rainy season runs from about June to September.
Plan your trip to Maradi
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.