The Niger River Basin, shared by nine (9) West and Central African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Chad), is of great importance capital for the local populations and the economies of the member countries of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA). The aridification of the climate and the decrease in flows have occurred for several decades, locally associated with land pressure, have strongly contributed the generalized degradation of the natural resources and ecosystems, the worsening of water and wind erosion as well as than to the silting up of the Niger River. These phenomena, amplified from year to year by recurrent droughts, weaken the living conditions of the populations and the biodiversity of the basin as well as the survival of the river, whose functioning is sometimes completely disrupted by floods or severe low water levels. The methodological approach to deal with climate change and variability in the Niger Basin respected all stages of the development of decision-making tools, from the diagnostic report to the operationalization plan. And this, through an iterative and participatory process.

Download the NewsMagazine

The Niger River is one of the important economic pillars of the nine member countries of the NBA. To date, seven of the nine countries of the Basin are among the 20 poorest countries in the world. Nearly 85% of the population of the basin live in rural areas where food security and social well-being depend directly on the resources of the basin, in particular water resources. The development challenges facing the Niger Basin are: i) the increase of the population and the vulnerable groups: the Basin is populated by about 160 million of people with an average annual growth of 2.8 percent per year. The majority of the population lives in Nigeria, which more than 80 million inhabitants derive their livelihoods directly from the Basin. More than half of this population is made up mostly of women and the children under the age of 15; and ii) Water erosion and the silting constitute a serious threat for the ecosystems of the Niger River, on the one hand, for the flow of the water downstream and the maintenance of the biological balances and natural ecosystems, and, on the other part, for the habitats and all the socio-economic activities of the basin.


Download the article

Like the other member countries of the Niger Basin, Niger is faced with the negative effects of the climate change with its repercussions on the agro-silvo-pastoral and fisheries activities, thereby weakening communities, especially those living in rural areas. It is in this context that the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) with the support of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and its partners financed a program of the large-scale bringing together its nine (9) Member States entitled “ Program Integrated for Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Niger Basin (PIDACC/NB)”
The Niger Component of PIDACC/NB aims to contribute to improving the resilience of the populations and the ecosystems in the Niger Basin through the sustainable management of the natural resources. Specifically, the Program aims to: (i) reduce the process of the silting of the Niger River, (ii) improve the population's ability to adapt to climate change, (iii) improve the management of the natural resources and the integrated management of the ecosystems, the protection of the biodiversity and restoration of the soil fertility.
Thus, within the framework of the implementation of the activities of the Programme, the European Union (EU) and the Global Environment Facility/Niger Basin Authority (GEF/NBA) support the State interventions to improve the climate resilience of the vulnerable communities and the sustainable management of the watersheds. This support, oriented towards the implementation of the Water and Soil Conservation/Soil Defense and Restoration (WSC/DSK) activities, aims to protect resources and ecosystems, fight against erosion and silting, sustainable forest management, biodiversity protection, water pollution control and the capacity building.

The execution of the WSC/DSK works is done in the form of the sub-projects developed by the beneficiary communities with the support of the executives of the Technical Services of the Environment. After their preparation, the sub-projects are the first submitted for validation by the Regional Technical Monitoring Committees (RTMC) and then for the approval of the Bank. The implementation of these various sub-projects is based on a participatory and inclusive approach that takes gender into account.
Thus, as part of the implementation of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Annual Work Plans and Budget (AWPB), twenty-three (23) sub-projects financed by the EU and the GEF/NBA have been implemented.
Compared to the financing of the European Union, it concerned thirteen (13) sub-projects including five (5) of dunes fixation totaling 260 ha and seven (7) of the recovery of degraded lands which cover 280 ha in the department of Kollo. and one (1) land reclamation sub-project of one hundred (100) ha in the department of Gaya.
As for the GEF/NBA, there are ten (10) sub-projects including four (4) for the recovery of the degraded lands totaling 160 ha in the Communes of Bouza and Allakaye, two (2) for the fixing of dunes of 60 ha in the Commune of Méhana, and four (4) other improved fallow and agroforestry sub-projects of 122 ha in the Communes of Gaya, Yellou, Bana and Bengou (department of Gaya).
Thus, the implementation of these sub-projects by the beneficiary communities is marked by an effective involvement of the gender at all stages, in particular:
- information/awareness: out of 1,648 people affected, 970 are the women, i.e. 59%;
- Establishment and training of the Village Committees for the Management of the Natural Resources (VCMNR): out of 15 committees set up, 150 members were trained, including 46 women, i.e. 31%;
- Execution of the WSC/DSK works: out of 2,036 beneficiaries participating in the works, 648 are the women, i.e. 32%.
The implementation of these sub-projects has not only made it possible to increase household income through the remuneration of the labor to the tune of CFA 131,000,000 of the amount spent for the implementation of these sub-projects but also to restore degraded lands through the seeding of the herbaceous plants, plantations and the direct sowing of the rônier nuts. A total of 187,872 seedlings were planted, 3,550 kg of herbaceous seeds sown and 10,000 rônier nuts sown.

Download publication n°3

Over the years, NBA has provided hydrographic and hydrological technical expertise in the implementation of its programmes and projects, which has enabled it to establish itself as a major player in the management of the Niger Basin resources. Its historical knowledge of the basin, and of its challenges, in addition to the legal framework documents and in particular the existence of a Water Charter, give NBA legitimacy to its intervention in the region. Thanks to the elaboration of the Niger Basin Water Charter, the Authority has incorporated recognized principles in environmental law (principle of participation, of equitable and reasonable use, of precaution, etc.), thus strengthening its credibility as an stakeholder working for the management, but also the protection, of the resources and ecosystems of the basin. Its institutional framework, which is characterized by a desire to create permanent contact with the member countries, has also enabled it to promote cooperation between the nine Member States involved in the functioning and life of the Basin. Through their roles as national relays, the National Focal Structures act as an interface between the executive power of the NBA and the national entities of the member countries, and contribute to cross-border coordination work at the regional level. However, the NBA's actions now seem to have potential to be framed within a dedicated structure from a legal and financial point of view. The idea of creating a Regional Climate Change Adaptation Fund (FRACC), dedicated to the basin and which could be funded by several sources, has therefore emerged. The objective is to carry out basin-wide actions according to an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) logic. This fund could be funded by different sources, including an Payment for Ecosystem Services System, and would compensate for the increase in the NBA's portfolio of activities. Large, costly and high-stakes programmes are currently being implemented throughout the Basin and are indeed contributing to an increase in the Authority's expenditure. Finally, the establishment of a FRACC could also provide a financial lever for the recruitment and internalization of technical expertise, thus strengthening teams, retaining the best profiles, improving project coordination and ensuring a credible, sustainable and independent financial base for the implementation of climate change adaptation actions. The purpose of the present study is therefore to study the feasibility of setting up a Regional Climate Change Adaptation Fund (FRACC) and how this fund could be supported by a Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) scheme.

Download the Phase 2 of Development of the FRACC/PES

Project Goal: Contribute to improving the resilience of the people and ecosystems of the Niger River Basin through sustainable natural resource management.

General programme overview: The Niger River, whose basin is shared by nine (9) West and Central African States (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Chad), is of paramount importance for residents of the area and the economies of member countries of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA). The growing aridity and the dwindling of water flows observed over several decades, associated locally with land pressure, have highly contributed to the widespread degradation of natural resources, the worsening of water and wind erosion and the silting of the Niger River. These phenomena - amplified year after year by recurrent droughts - have undermined the people's living conditions and the biodiversity of the Basin. Between 2006 and 2011, the Bank financed the Niger Basin Silting Control Programme (NBSCP) in three countries of the Basin (Burkina, Mali and Niger), which carried out pilot operations and enabled the development of a Master Plan for controlling the silting of the Niger River. At the request of the countries, the Bank in 2012 initiated the preparation of the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Niger Basin (PIDACC), the overall objective of which is to contribute to improving the resilience of the people and ecosystems of the Niger River Basin through sustainable natural resource management. The programme comprises 9 national projects implemented by the countries and a regional project carried out by the NBA to ensure synergy. It is structured around three components: (i) Building the resilience of ecosystems and natural resources; (ii) Building the people's resilience; and (iii) Ensuring programme coordination and management. The main expected outcomes are: (a) the recovery of 140 000 ha of degraded land; (b) the construction of 209 water infrastructure systems for agro-pastoral and fish farming activities; (c) the implementation of 450 sub-projects for agricultural chain development purposes and 184 youth SMEs; (d) climate change (CC) adaptation capacity building for 1 000 000 households; and (e) the operationalisation of a sustainable financing mechanism for sustainable natural resource management activities. The programme will cost USD 205.188 million and will be implemented over a six-year period (2019-2024). In the 9 countries, the programme will directly benefit 4 million people, 51% of whom are women. The direct beneficiaries also include smallholder farmers and vulnerable groups (women and young people) promoting the sub-projects.

Download the Appraisal report of PIDACC