Eighteen people died when an artisanal goldmine collapsed on Sunday in southern Niger near the border with Nigeria, the local mayor said on Monday.

"The provisional death toll is 18 people, whom we buried this morning. There were also seven hospitalised with injuries," Adamou Gueraou, mayor of Dan-Issa district, told AFP, adding that Nigerian nationals were among the injured.

This is a developing story.

(With input from agencies)