The Niger River is the third longest in Africa with 4,200 kilometres after the Nile and the Congo. The basin area is about 2.2 million square kilometres encompassing more than 150 million people. The river crosses several countries, including Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Nigeria, which are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Most of the areas are characterised by low rainfall, dry and arid desert, making it crucial for sustaining people life and the ecosystem.

The basin waters are widely used for irrigation, especially in the Malian and Nigerian parts of the basin with an irrigated land surface estimated at around 1.8 million hectares. The waters are also source of energy production for the riparian countries.

In an effort to ensure sustainable use of the river waters and further cooperation between the riparian countries, the Niger River Commission was originally created in 1964 and later replaced the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) in 1980 and is headquartered in Niamey, Niger.

Objectives

The Niger Basin Authority aims to promote cooperation among the Member States and to ensure an integrated development of the Niger Basin in the fields of energy, water resources, agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing and fisheries, forestry, transport, communications and industry and ensure the sustainable development of the River Niger Basin. The NBA, as provided by its convention, is responsible for harmonizing and coordinating national development policies; assisting in the development of an integrated development plan for the Basin; promoting projects of common interest; assuring the regulation of navigation consistent with the 1963 Act; and requesting assistance and mobilizing financing for studies and research on Basin resources.

Achievements

Table 1 - Main Dams in the Niger Basin (with a storage capacity of more than one billion m3)

Dams	Country	River or tributary	Dam name	Date
Existing	Mali Mali Mali Mali Mali Cameroon Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria	Sankarani Bani Bani Niger Niger Bénoué Niger Niger Gongola	Selingue Talo Djenné Sotuba Markala Lagdo Jebba Kainji Dadin Kowa	1982 2007 2016 1929 1947 1983 1984 1968 1988
5 Ongoing Projects (source ABN)	Guinea Mali Niger Niger Nigeria Nigeria	Niandan Niger Niger Niger Bénoué Bénoué	Fomi (ou Foumi) Taoussa (ou Tossaye) Kandadji Dyondonga Makurdi Transfer to Lake Chad

Source : NBA, 2015 ; FAO Dams and agriculture in Africa, 2007 and Aquastat, 2015

(https://journals.openedition.org/com/7458)

Projects

1. “Hydrological Data Collection, Treatment and Modelling process for an efficient management of water resources in the Niger Basin”, financed by the French Development Agency for Euro 3.4 million;
2. The WRDSEM Programme financed by the World Bank for a total amount of US$ 444 million, started in December 2008;
3. The Silting Control Project financed by WAEMU for an amount of FCFA 2.6 billion;
4. Satellite Based Water Monitoring and Flow Forecasting System In the Niger Basin starting in May 2014 with the Assistance of ORIO EVD NL International Agency and UNESCO IHP for a total amount of Euro 6.83 million;
5. The “Support to the NBA for Groundwater Management in the Niger Basin” project, financed by Germany for an amount of Euro 2.5 million;
6. The “Support to the NBA - Phase III” project, financed by Germany for an amount of Euro 3 million;
7. The “Programme for Rehabilitating Public Irrigated Schemes in Niger, financed by Germany for an amount of Euro 11 million;
8. The “River Niger Bank Protection Project” in Mali, financed by Germany for an amount of Euro 10 million;

Project Under Preparation

1. Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change Programme in the Niger Basin under preparation with AfDB, KFW, AWF, WAEMU, WADB, and other partners for an amount of USD 300 million;
2. The Development of the Operational Plan (2014-2023) and the three-year plan (2014-2016) of the NBA Strategic Plan;
3. “Improving IWRM Knowledge based Management and Governance of the Niger Basin and the Iullemeden- Taoudeni – Tanezrouf Aquifer System (ITTAS)” under preparation with GEF, UNDP, SSO, UNEP for an Amount of USD 14.63 million;
4. The “Niger Basin Authority Capacity Building for Risks and Disaster Management” project in the Basin under preparation with the World Bank in the framework of the Sahel Disaster Resilience Project.
   https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/18/10/niger-basin-authority-050514.pdf

Read more:

Niger Basin Authority: Legal and Institutional Frameworks, Ongoing Projects and Initiatives and Cooperation

Nine Countries Rise to Collaboratively Build Climate Resilience in the Niger River Basin

Niger River Basin Management Project

In the Niger Basin, Countries Collaborate on Hydropower, Irrigation and Improved Water Resource Management

Niger Basin Authority will get US$134 million to spur Development and Climate Change Adaptation in the Niger Basin (PIDACC)

Niger Basin: NBA Launches $300m AfDB Fund