Niamey - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Almost all embassy personnel have housekeepers (the dust!), gardeners, cook, and (if they have kids) nannies. Very available and very affordable. - Aug 2022
Most people had a housekeeper and a gardener. We had a housekeeper part time (there was only two of us and we're not messy!) and a gardener who came by in the early morning. He took care of the yard, pool and washed the vehicles, as well as growing vegetables for us in the cooler season. Many people who had children hired a housekeeper/nanny, rather than two people. We paid around US $250/month for our housekeeper, but we were definitely on the higher end of the spectrum. Many housekeepers/nannies have worked for expat (or exclusively American) families for many years. - Apr 2020
Household help is plentiful and cheap. Most people have a gardener who takes care of the pool and washes the car every day during the week. House maid and cook, if you want. Also, if you have children, nannies are available. - Jul 2019
Lots of household help available. We employed a part time gardener, full time nanny, and part time housekeeper. You will need a housekeeper to clean the dust. You simply cannot do it on your own. - Oct 2017
Inexpensive - most people have a housekeeper and gardener. - Oct 2017
Most domestic help rotate from having worked from one missionary or diplomatic family to another. Experience and trust will be indicative of salary. Someone who does grocery shopping (locals get better prices), and cooks and cleans would make US$150-200/mo part time. - Aug 2015
Tons available, though finding good help can be challenging. Try to get an employee from someone who is leaving or already gone. The cost depends on what you have them do and how long they work (of course), but a full-time maid/cook can cost between $200-300 a month, and a gardener/poolman/driver can cost between $100-250. Again, this really depends on the quality of the person you get. You can find a part-time maid willing to work 20 hours a week for $100 a mo, but they will likely not have any experience and may cost you more in the long run (ruined clothes, other problems). - Jul 2013
