To researchers thinking of using the extremely decentralized archives of the Republic of Niger the task of locating documents may seem formidable indeed. As of 1972 little effort had been made to collect important documents in one location, so that the bulk of the records of Niger's colonial government–and a few valuable assessment reports and ethnographic studies as well–are scattered among the préfectures, sous-préfectures, government offices, and small libraries of the country. This decentralization necessitates travel but it also has advantages, expecially for those who combine archival and field research. By being able to do both at the same time it is possible to let one kind of data inform the other, with the result that the questions being asked of all of the various sources can continually be rethought.

Permission for all research to be undertaken in Niger must be obtained through the Centre Nigérien de Recherches en Sciences Humaines, B.P. 318, Niamey. The C.N.R.S.H. asks researchers to submit a detailed description of their project, a summary of their preparation in the languages in which the research is to be conducted, and a projected budget showing the sources and amounts of funding. In addition researchers are asked to agree to send a copy of any thesis or publication which results from their research in Niger and to contribute time to the training of Nigerian historians and social scientists.