USAID Niger Stability Support Initiative (NSSI)
The Kaizen Company was chosen to implement the Niger Stability Support Initiative (NSSI) for the USAID Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization’s Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/CPS/OTI). Through close collaboration with USAID/CPS/OTI, NSSI aims to support stabilization and peacebuilding efforts in Niger by 1) providing technical assistance to the civilian ministries of the Government of Niger (GoN), 2) Strengthening the connection between national and local level governance in key areas, and 3) Supporting USAID/Niger’s efforts to adapt programming across sectors to create synergies that bolster stabilization efforts.
Niger’s location and expanding security relationship with the United States makes it a key ally in disrupting violent extremist threats in the Sahel. Niger’s relative stability marks a sharp contrast with many other West African states, with the GoN representing a key U.S. partner within the Sahel-Maghreb Strategy and the Counter Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Strategy. The GoN has strong political will, although capacity is limited, and commitment is not uniform.
The Kaizen Company is currently implementing the first of our five years of project implementation (September 2020-September 2025). Following a successful project launch and startup, USAID/CPS/OTI and the Kaizen Company have supported post-election activities to assess the current dynamics on the ground, developed activities for leadership training of national, regional, and local stakeholders as well as assessing states of emergency (SOEs) and their impact on local communities. We have launched a series of roundtable discussions with communities around the capital, Niamey, to develop strategies to prevent instability in the region. As implementation proceeds, we will plan on continuing to support conflict stabilization in Niger, establishing stronger connections between national and local Nigerien governments, and seizing on windows of opportunity to advance the prospect of an increasingly peaceful, democratic, and stable Niger.