Niger GDP growth set to slow to 4.4 pct in 2015: IMF

NIAMEY (Reuters) - Niger's economic growth will slow to 4.4 percent this year because of security concerns and slumping commodity prices, the International Monetary Fund said after an annual review on Monday. The West African country produces oil and uranium and reported GDP growth of 6.9 percent in 2014. In March, the IMF had projected growth of 4.7 percent this year. "Growth has fluctuated reflecting volatility in the agricultural sector, the impact of low commodity prices on the mining sector, and the deteriorating security situation in the region," said David Lipton, the acting chair of the IMF's executive board. The medium-term economic outlook is expected to be positive although the IMF expressed caution about debt management in the face of low oil and uranium prices. Niger has long, porous borders with Algeria, Libya, Mali and Nigeria and has been repeatedly hit by attacks from Islamist militant group Boko Haram, prompting it to declare a state of emergency in its southern region Diffa in October. [ID:nL6N0T01OF] (Reporting by Abdoulaye Massalaki; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Catherine Evans)