Health insurance for international students in Niger: the trusted providers, what to buy, and how to use it

Studying in Niger is an opportunity.
It’s also a place where your health plan should be more than a checkbox.

Here’s why.
Medical facilities are poor, even in Niamey, and serious treatment often requires evacuation to Europe. The UK government’s travel health page for Niger says this plainly and advises you to have insurance that covers local care and medical evacuation, plus funds for treatment and repatriation if needed. It also lists the ambulance number (15) and notes that public services can be slow, while some private clinics run their own ambulances.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the global baseline.
They recommend travelers review their coverage and consider travel health and medical evacuation insurance, because home policies often exclude overseas treatment and air ambulances. This is standard, sober advice, and it fits Niger.

So you need insurance that works on two fronts.
Day-to-day clinic visits and prescriptions—and worst-day evacuation and hospital care. The rest of this guide shows you exactly how to pick it and which providers students rely on.

What “good” coverage looks like in Niger.

Emergency evacuation and repatriation. Treat this as non-negotiable. Government guidance assumes you may need evacuation for serious cases. Look for clear wording—“to the nearest appropriate facility”—and a real limit, not fine print.
Inpatient + outpatient benefits with direct billing. Private hospitals often want a deposit unless your insurer can place a guarantee of payment. Choose a plan with a published direct-settlement process; Allianz, for example, explains how it pays providers directly for eligible care.
24/7 assistance in a language you speak. You want a number to call from the triage desk, not a Monday-to-Friday inbox. Save it alongside Niger’s ambulance number (15) before you fly.
Telemedicine + mental health. You will have questions at odd hours. AXA’s Virtual Doctor and Mind Health services are examples of tools that let you triage, get prescriptions where permitted, and speak to a counselor without leaving your room. Other global plans offer similar services.
University-ready paperwork. Ask for a certificate/letter that spells out medical cover, evacuation, and repatriation. Most international student and expat plans can issue this on request.

The top 10 providers students actually compare for Niger

All ten are global names with student-ready coverage or brokers who place you with those plans.
For each, you’ll see why it fits Niger and one action to take before you buy.

1) Allianz Care

Allianz maintains a large global network and a published direct-settlement process so eligible bills can be paid straight to hospitals—vital where facilities ask for deposits. Their expat/student lines are designed for cross-border care and evacuation. Do this: ask for the nearest direct-billing clinics to your campus and save their guarantee-of-payment instructions on your phone.

2) Cigna Global

Cigna offers customizable student/expat cover and markets a dedicated student path. They highlight that universities often require international insurance and pair that with a very large provider network and direct-billing capability in many locations. Do this: request a student certificate and a preferred-provider list for Niamey and any field sites.

3) Bupa Global

Bupa’s international plans emphasize access to specialists and global networks, often with direct access (on certain tiers) rather than slow referrals. High limits are available at the upper end. Do this: confirm the annual limit on your chosen tier and check whether direct billing is set up where you’ll actually seek care.

4) AXA Global Healthcare

AXA pairs high benefit ceilings with two powerful digital services: Virtual Doctor (24/7 online consultations) and Mind Health (mental-health support). That’s practical when you want advice before heading to a clinic. Do this: verify local direct-billing options and that both services are included on your plan.

5) GeoBlue (Navigator for Students)

GeoBlue’s Navigator plan is written for students and faculty. The brochure highlights concierge assistance, an elite global network, and—in the U.S.—access to the Blue Cross Blue Shield network. It also specifies an unlimited medical maximum with a defined evacuation limit on many student versions. Do this: read the student brochure and note evacuation limits and coinsurance rules inside vs. outside the U.S.

6) IMG Global

IMG designs many of the student policies you’ll see. Student Health Advantage is the flagship student plan with benefits for mental health, organized sports, maternity (with waits), and international emergency care, and it’s renewable annually for long programs. Do this: check any waiting periods and confirm telehealth access on your specific tier.

7) APRIL International

APRIL’s Student International Health plan is built for study abroad, purchasable 1–12 months, with hospital, outpatient, diagnostics, and prescriptions. They emphasize fast access to private care and instant certificates—useful when enrollment deadlines are tight. Do this: download the latest brochure and verify waiting periods and any sports/maternity options you need.

8) International Student Insurance (ISI)

ISI specializes in student coverage and offers Student Secure tiers alongside access to other student lines (including IMG). Their documentation is geared to university and visa compliance, and they provide clear plan PDFs. Do this: choose a tier that matches your school’s wording and ask about telemedicine availability for your location.

9) MSH International

MSH runs student and teacher programs with 24/7 emergency assistance, repatriation, and access to prescriptions/specialists. Their materials emphasize immediate certificates, multilingual support, and teleconsultations in some offers—useful when navigating French-speaking clinics. Do this: confirm the assistance phone number and local network near Niamey before arrival.

10) Pacific Prime (broker)

Pacific Prime is a large, regulated broker that places students with top international carriers and provides side-by-side comparisons. It’s useful if you want a human to match plan wording to your school’s demands and to verify Niger service. Do this: ask them to shortlist two or three options with evacuation, direct billing, and 24/7 assistance clearly documented for West Africa.

Coverage highlights you should insist on

Hospital and outpatient care you can actually access at private clinics. That means pre-authorizations and, ideally, direct billing to avoid large deposits. Allianz explains how that works operationally.
Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation with a concrete limit and destinations governed by medical need (“nearest appropriate facility”). FCDO and CDC guidance both underscore evacuation for serious cases in Niger.
Specialists, diagnostics, and prescriptions with clear caps so routine care doesn’t become a surprise bill. APRIL’s student plan page lists these elements explicitly.
Mental-health and telemedicine that you’ll actually use, not marketing lines. AXA’s Virtual Doctor and Mind Health are good reference models; other carriers provide similar services.

Quick comparison snapshot

Provider	Student plans	Emergency evac.	Mental health	Telehealth	Network reach
Allianz Care	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Global/Africa-wide (direct settlement available) allianzcare.com
Cigna Global	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Global/Africa-wide (large preferred network) Cigna Global
Bupa Global	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Global networks with direct specialist access on some tiers Bupa Global
AXA Global Healthcare	Yes	Yes	Yes	Virtual Doctor/Mind Health	Global networks AXA – Global Healthcare+1
GeoBlue	Yes (Navigator)	Yes	Yes	Global tele-support	Global + BCBS network in U.S. geobluetravelinsurance.com
IMG Global	Yes (SHA, etc.)	Yes	Yes	Often included	Global (renewable student lines) imglobal.com
APRIL International	Yes	Yes	Yes	App/portal support	Global student plan (1–12 months) APRIL International
International Student Insurance	Yes (Student Secure, etc.)	Yes	Yes	Varies by tier/location	Global student focus International Student Insurance
MSH International	Yes	Yes	Yes	Teleconsultations available on some offers	Africa/Global with 24/7 assistance msh-intl.com
Pacific Prime (broker)	Broker (multi-insurer)	Yes (via chosen carrier)	Yes	Yes	Global placement, Africa pages Pacific Prime

A simple, no-nonsense buying process

Step 1 — Shortlist three providers (or one broker).
Pick a mix that fits your style: one “big network + direct billing” brand (e.g., Allianz or Cigna), one with strong digital care (e.g., AXA), and one student specialist (e.g., IMG, APRIL, ISI).

Step 2 — Confirm acceptance with your university.
Email admissions a one-pager and ask if the plan meets their requirement for medical, evacuation, and repatriation. Insurers like Cigna publish student-specific wording you can attach.

Step 3 — Verify local access.
Ask for a preferred-provider list in Niamey and for any field sites. Confirm whether the insurer can issue a guarantee of payment to those clinics. This is the difference between showing an e-card and handing over a credit card.

Step 4 — Read the parts people skip.
Check waiting periods (pre-existing conditions, maternity), mental-health caps, organized sports cover, and telemedicine availability by location. IMG and APRIL spell out waits and benefits in their brochures.

Step 5 — Save the numbers.
Store your insurer’s 24/7 assistance line and Niger’s ambulance number (15) in your phone and on a wallet card. FCDO’s Niger page is explicit about this.

How to use your plan in Niger (a short drill)

Emergency first, paperwork second.
Call 15 for an ambulance. Then call your insurer’s assistance team from the clinic so they can open a case and place a guarantee of payment if you’re being admitted. FCDO notes that private services and response times vary, so you want your insurer coordinating early.

For non-urgent issues, start with telemedicine.
A virtual doctor can triage symptoms, issue guidance, and steer you to the right level of care. AXA’s Online Doctor is a good example; similar options exist at other insurers. You avoid unnecessary trips, language friction, and the wrong doorway.

If a clinic asks for a deposit, don’t panic.
Ask the hospital to contact your insurer to arrange direct settlement or a guarantee of payment. If you must pay, keep itemized invoices and medical notes for reimbursement. Allianz explains how direct settlement works and what documentation the provider needs.

If evacuation is raised.
The treating doctor and the insurer’s medical team decide together. Expect transfer to the nearest appropriate facility able to handle your condition—often outside Niger. This is exactly why evacuation sits at the top of your checklist.

Three quick scenarios (and what a good plan does)

You sprain an ankle at a weekend match.
You open your insurer’s app and book a virtual consult. The doctor recommends an X-ray and messages assistance to arrange direct billing at a nearby clinic. You pay only your share, if any. AXA’s Virtual Doctor and similar tools are built for this kind of smooth hand-off.

You develop severe abdominal pain.
The clinic recommends admission but wants a deposit. You or the nurse call your insurer. They issue a guarantee of payment; if imaging shows a complex case, they coordinate medical evacuation under your policy terms. That’s the system working as designed.

You feel overwhelmed mid-semester.
You schedule mental-health sessions through your plan’s program. AXA’s Mind Health is one model; many student plans include counseling with defined session limits. You get structured support and stay on track.

Smart coverage levels (so you don’t overspend or under-insure)

Medical maximum: choose a limit that can handle in-hospital care outside Niger if evacuation is needed; high six-figure/low seven-figure annual caps are common among robust international plans. Bupa and GeoBlue publish high/“unlimited” medical maxima on certain tiers—check the exact level on yours.
Evacuation: insist on a named medical evacuation and repatriation benefit with a clear cap. The CDC guidance treats evacuation as a separate, essential insurance type for a reason.
Outpatient detail: review per-visit caps, diagnostics, and pharmacy benefits. APRIL’s student plan spells these out.
Mental health & telemedicine: look for accessible services with reasonable session counts and 24/7 contact options. AXA is a strong example; others have equivalents.

Pre-departure checklist (copy-and-use)

Insurer 24/7 assistance number saved on your phone and printed.
Digital ID card and coverage certificate stored offline.
Ambulance 15 saved on your phone; note private clinic ambulance lines if your insurer recommends any.
List of direct-billing clinics near your housing and campus, requested from your insurer.
PDF of your plan’s evacuation wording and claims instructions.
Copies of prescriptions, with generic medicine names as the CDC suggests for travelers.

Provider-by-provider questions to ask before you pay

Allianz Care: “Please send the Niamey provider list and explain your guarantee-of-payment steps for admissions.”
Cigna Global: “Can you issue a student certificate for my university and confirm your preferred clinics near campus?”
Bupa Global: “What’s the annual limit on my tier and do I have direct access to specialists?”
AXA Global Healthcare: “Is Virtual Doctor and Mind Health included on my plan and available from Niger?”
GeoBlue: “What’s my evacuation limit and how does direct pay work outside the U.S. under Navigator?”
IMG Global: “What are the waiting periods for pre-existing conditions on Student Health Advantage, and are organized sports covered?”
APRIL International: “Can I extend beyond 12 months if my degree runs longer, and what are the outpatient caps?”
International Student Insurance (ISI): “Which Student Secure tier meets my school’s wording, and is telemedicine included where I study?”
MSH International: “Please confirm 24/7 assistance numbers and local network access; can you send my certificate today?”
Pacific Prime (broker): “Compare two plans with evacuation and direct billing for Niger plus one backup option, and send the policy wordings.”

Pro Tips:

Niger is a rewarding study destination, but logistics matter.
A good policy does five things well: it pays private providers directly where possible, covers medical evacuation and repatriation, supports you 24/7, includes telemedicine and mental-health care, and produces university-ready documentation.

Start with the ten providers above.
Confirm acceptance with your school. Get the local clinic list. Save the right numbers. Then go study with confidence—supported by a plan that’s built for both ordinary days and the rare bad one.

Sources :

UK FCDO – Health in Niger: poor medical facilities, evacuation to Europe, ambulance 15, private clinic notes, and the need for appropriate insurance. GOV.UK
CDC – Travel insurance guidance: consider travel health insurance and medical evacuation insurance; home plans often don’t cover evacuation. CDC Travelers’ Health+1
Allianz Care: how direct settlement (provider direct pay) works for eligible services. allianzcare.com
Cigna Global: international student health insurance overview and compliance messaging. Cigna Global
Bupa Global: international plans with global specialist access and strong networks. Bupa Global
AXA Global Healthcare: Online Doctor service and Mind Health mental-health support. AXA – Global Healthcare+1
GeoBlue Navigator (Students): student brochure detailing networks, assistance, medical maximums, and evacuation benefits. geobluetravelinsurance.com cdn.internationalstudentinsurance.com
IMG (Student Health Advantage): student plan with mental-health, sports, maternity (with waits), and international emergency care; annually renewable. imglobal.com
APRIL International (Student): student plan with hospital, outpatient, diagnostics, prescriptions; 1–12 months; fast certificates. APRIL International
International Student Insurance (ISI) – Student Secure: student-tiered plans intended to meet university and visa needs. International Student Insurance
MSH International: 24/7 assistance and student/teacher coverage options. msh-intl.com americas.msh-intl.com
Pacific Prime: broker resources for Africa and Niger, placing students with major carriers. Pacific Prime+1