Say, Niger

Say
Say
Location in Niger
Coordinates: 13°06′N 2°22′E / 13.100°N 2.367°E / 13.100; 2.367
Country Niger
RegionTillabéri Region
DepartmentSay Department
Elevation
180 m (590 ft)
Population
 (2012 census)
  City
58,290
  Urban
13,546
  Metro
175,625 (Say Department)
  Summer (DST)UTC+1 (WAT)

Say (Saayi) is a town in southwest Niger, situated on the Niger River. It is the capital of the Say Department in the Tillabéri Region. Say was a small Songhai town prior to the arrival of the Fulani marabout Alfa Mohamed Diobo in the nineteenth century who converted the town to a center for Islamic learning and established the Emirate of Say. The municipality has 58,290 inhabitants, and its economy is dominated by agriculture, herding and small trade. Today, the inhabitants of Say are mostly Peulh, Songhai and Zarma.