Motorized Two-Wheelers In The Construction Of The Margins Of The City Of Niamey (Niger)

Abstract

The process of urbanization in sub-Saharan cities has not been accompanied by a consistent supply of public transport. Against a backdrop of under-equipment of households with private cars, due in particular to low household incomes, small-scale public transport and motorized two-wheelers have emerged as an essential means of mobility for the poorest households. Motorized two-wheelers are used both individually and collectively. In the capital cities of the hinterland, they are used more as an individual means of transport than as a collective means of transport, in contrast to coastal cities such as Lomé and Cotonou, where the use of motorcycles as a collective means of transport has been highly developed for several decades. The aim of this article is to highlight the role of motorized two-wheelers in the mobility of households living on the bangs of the city of Niamey. Our study is based on the results of a household survey we carried out in 2023, and on data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS). We also carried out a count on a sample of 920 motorcycles to assess the proportion of unregistered motorcycles in circulation in the city. These data were analyzed using SPSS, Excel and Word. We hypothesize that motorized two-wheelers play an essential role in the mobility of households on the margins of the city of Niamey. Our study shows that the fleet of motorized two-wheelers grew at an average rate of +16.39% between 2008 and 2021, and that 52.83% of motorcycles in circulation in the city are unregistered. Motorcycles play a key role in the mobility of households living on the margins, accounting for 62.50% of individual means of transport.