Why did Niger’s 2016 presidential election require a runoff?

Niger’s 2016 presidential election required a runoff because no candidate secured an outright majority in the first round of voting held on February 21, 2016.

Incumbent president Mahamadou Issoufou received the highest number of votes, garnering slightly more than 48 percent. Because he did not reach the 50 percent threshold required to win the presidency in the first round, a second round was scheduled between him and his nearest challenger, Hama Amadou, who had received approximately 17 percent of the vote.12