At least 21 people have lost their lives and another 37 have been injured to varying degrees this Friday in a serious traffic accident recorded on the national road that connects the cities of Maradi and Madaoua, in the south of Niger, after the head-on collision between two buses.
The incident occurred in the town of Rézi, located about 45 kilometers from Madaoua, in the Tahoua region, when two vehicles from the companies STM and SONITRAV, which were traveling in opposite directions, collided violently.
According to the Niger Press Agency (ANP), one of the buses had left Maradi and was transporting a contingent of soldiers returning from a training period in Zinder, while the other vehicle was coming from Madaoua.
The bodies of the deceased victims have been transferred to the hospital in Madaoua, while the injured have been evacuated to various health centers in Madaoua and Maradi to receive medical attention, according to data released by the ANP.
The governor of Tahoua, Colonel Major Souleymane Amadou Moussa, accompanied by several local officials, has traveled to the accident site. From there, he conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased on behalf of the Nigerien authorities and expressed his wish for a swift recovery for the injured.
The regional representative took advantage of his visit to call on drivers and other road users in the country to exercise caution and strictly adhere to traffic regulations. He also urged transport companies to reinforce awareness campaigns among their employees in order to prevent new accidents.
The first reports collected by the ANP highlight the extreme violence of the impact. The commander of the Gendarmerie of Madaoua detailed that, after the collision, both buses continued moving several meters down the road: the STM vehicle skidded about 170 meters, while the SONITRAV vehicle would have traveled approximately 96 meters. The driver of the latter died on the spot as a result of the crash.
The authorities have initiated an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the accident precisely and to determine possible responsibilities, as currently available data does not allow for a conclusive determination of the causes of the collision.
From the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, additional measures aimed at the companies owning the vehicles involved in the accident have also been announced. In a statement cited by the same agency, the department emphasized that "the responsibility for the safety and physical integrity of the passengers lies entirely with the transport companies."
The Executive has also reiterated the urgency of improving safety levels in road transport, with special attention to inspections on the technical condition of vehicles and compliance with working and resting times for drivers.
This accident again brings to the forefront the high road accident rate in Niger, where road accidents are a constant concern for the authorities. According to figures released by the Niger Road Safety Agency (ANISER), during 2025 more than 7,100 accidents with victims were recorded, resulting in 1,245 fatalities and more than 4,400 serious injuries.