Is Crypto Legal in Niger?

Cryptocurrency is not legal in Niger, as the country operates under the regulatory framework of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), which has stated that cryptocurrencies are not permitted in the West African Economic and Monetary Union zone (1). As a member of the eight-country WAMU, Niger's central bank is the BCEAO, which governs monetary policy for Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo (2).

The BCEAO governor, Tiemoko Meyliet Koné, stated that Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are not welcome in WAEMU, explaining that a currency needs a counterpart and a value guarantee (1). The governor stressed that since there is no authority accountable for these currencies, the BCEAO cannot allow their circulation in the region, and several conversations with other central banks had yielded no changes in their position (1). The government of Niger has not yet publicly stated its position on cryptocurrencies and their legality at the national level (1).

"The BCEAO governor stressed that since there is no authority accountable for these currencies, the BCEAO cannot allow their circulation in the region."

The BCEAO says it hasn't handled cryptocurrencies since they're not permitted in the zone (1). In addition to centralizing the cash reserves of the Union, the main mandates of the Central Bank are to issue currency, manage monetary policy, organize and monitor banking activities, and provide assistance for the WAMU member States (2). Previous reports showed that the BCEAO may have introduced the eCFA, a regional digital currency, but in April 2017 the BCEAO rejected these rumors, saying they had no plans to launch digital currency in any member state (1).

Source:
https://chaintum.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Blockchain-and-Crypto-Regulations-in-BCEAO-1.pdf
https://www.bceao.int/en/content/presentation-bceao

Last updated: 19-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.