Nigerien food is straightforward, rooted in the Sahel's limited pantry, and better than its reputation. Don't expect elaborate menus — but do expect warmth, generosity, and the occasional surprise.
The staple is millet, eaten as a thick porridge (tô or dégué) or as couscous-style dambou, steamed and mixed with moringa leaves, onions, and spices. Rice is increasingly common in urban areas and at restaurants. Most meals come with a sauce — groundnut-based, tomato-based, or sometimes a leafy stew. Niébé (black-eyed peas) are ubiquitous and cheap; locals do indeed joke that they cause gas, which won't stop you from eating them.
The national dish is djerma stew, a richly spiced chicken or meat dish in a groundnut sauce, associated with the western Djerma-Songhai people. In the south, Hausa cooking leans on rice and beans, fried yam fritters (kosai), and fura da nono — millet balls mixed with fermented milk, a cooling snack sold by Fulani women from bowls balanced on their heads.
Kilichi, Niger's version of spiced dried beef, is worth tracking down in the markets of Zinder or Agadez. It's chewy, intensely flavoured, and travels well. Fari masa — Niger's fried dough fritters — are sold hot from street stalls and make a good breakfast with tea.
Street food in Niamey means grilled meat (brochettes), rice with sauce, and omelets. The city has Lebanese, French, and Chinese restaurants catering to expats and NGO workers. In smaller towns, you eat what's available, which is generally a rice or millet plate with sauce from a woman cooking in the market.
Tea culture deserves mention. The Tuareg tradition of brewing three small glasses of green tea — progressively sweeter — is both a social ritual and a reason to slow down. Accept if offered.