Abstract Background Long waiting time (WT) for elective surgery is a frequent and important issue in many countries. This study examined the factors affecting the WT for elective surgery in a paediatric surgery department in a tertiary healthcare hospital in Niger, Africa. This descriptive retrospective study examined patients aged 0–15 years who underwent elective surgery in the paediatric surgery department of National Hospital Amirou Boubacar Diallo in Niamey, Niger, between April 1, 2019 and March 30, 2020. Socio-demographic, diagnostic, and therapeutic data were collected from medical records, and the WT, defined as the number of days between when surgery was proposed and performed was analysed. Statistical analyses were performed with the Kruskal–Wallis test, and a p