The coup in Niger that toppled the democratically elected president has led to several nations and international agencies suspending aid — a move that will hit one of the world’s poorest countries really hard. Niger, which has a population of 26.2 million, received $1.8 billion in aid in 2021, according to the latest figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). That is more than any other West African country except its large neighbour Nigeria, which received $3.5 billion for a population nearly 10 times bigger. In Niger, half the population lives below the poverty line — less than $2.15 a day. The country struggles with repeated food shortages and has one of the worst ratings on the human development indices in the world. International organisations such as the World Bank have long supported the country, funding various projects on the ground. Much of that financial support is in the form of military aid to fight repeated attacks from militant forces. Troops from several Western countries are stationed on its territory, including soldiers from former colonial power France. Foreign money accounts for a quarter of Niger’s public spending, and international aid — donations or loans at very favourable rates — represents nine per cent of its GDP, according to Dominique Fruchter, an economist covering West Africa with French insurance company Coface, which specialises in credit insurance and risk management. The European Union says that only 62 per cent of Niger’s budget is funded domestically. France on Saturday was the first to announce it was suspending development aid to Niger, which last year totalled 120 million euros and was due to increase this year. Germany followed on Monday, suspending a two-year package of aid last negotiated in 2021 worth 120 million euros but said it would continue to supply food aid.