"CyberAnt wrote: "It rhymes with TIGER."
Well, I don't like the French any more than you probably
do but the correct pronunciation, at least among Nigerians, is
"neeJAIR" as in Pierre...
FYI
Niger and Nigeria are different countries. Please look at a map. I'm also remined of Churchill's demand that his officers quit calling placenames in foreign toungue. He said he didn't want to ever hear 'Roma', or 'Paree' ever again. Niger as in tiger is just the Anglicized way of saying it. Otherwise someone should inform Nee Jair Innes that his parents named him incorrectly and he should start being a little more PC about the way he pronounces his own name.
Oh, please. We don't say "Paris" as the French do, either.
Niger pronounced "Nijer" works for me better than "Neejair".
As to Niger and Nigeria...I know that and you know that, but other pundits and even officials have made the same mistake so you can ratchet down your disdain a notch or three.