On Thursday, March 5, 2026, H.E. Kocou Armand HOUANYE, Executive Secretary of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), chaired over the inception meeting for the study regarding the "In-depth financial analysis of the implementation of RCCAF/NB", including among others the proposal of the initial endowment of the NBA member States to the Fund. The Session took place at the NBA headquarters in Niamey. The study is part of the implementation of Resolution No. 7, adopted by the 43rd Session of the Ordinary Session of the NBA Council of Ministers, held on November 22, 2024, in Cotonou, Benin, which states: “(…) to undertake in-depth financial analyses for the implementation of RCCAF-NB to enable member countries to align their legislations to RCCAF-NB legal texts (…).” The meeting aimed to review the Regional Consultant’s status progress on the study and establish a participatory consensus with the NBA on the roadmap. This is vital to producing a consensus-based document.

Following the NBA Executive Secretary’s opening remarks, the Regional Consultant presented a synthesis of the preliminary findings from the inception phase of the study. The Regional Consultant is expected to:

- Assess the capacity of the nine (9) NBA member States to contribute to the initial endowment of the fund;
- Conduct a comparative analysis of financial institutions likely to support or host the RCCAF/NB;
- Identify sustainable financing mechanisms for the RCCAF/NB; and
- Outline the practical arrangements for operationalizing the RCCAF.

The discussions highlighted the imperative of capitalizing on relevant past studies to ensure continuity. Beyond a comprehensive literature review, the meeting mandated the Regional Consultant to engage in targeted consultations with NBA member States to align the financial mechanism with national realities and consolidate institutional ownership of the financial mechanism.

The participants (Directors, Senior Professional staff, and Experts from both the NBA Executive Secretariat and the Regional Coordinator and Experts from the PIDACC/NB Regional Coordination Unit) advocated for a progressive, co-constructed, solidarity-based approach. This approach is designed to facilitate a harmonized consensus regarding member States contributions to the RCCAF/NB’s initial endowment. This contribution must be realistic yet ambitious, as its establishment will facilitate access to significantly larger funds from Technical and Financial Partners, particularly those in the field of climate finance.

Finally, the meeting concluded with a call to mobilize national expertise and technical directorates from NBA member countries. Their active involvement is critical to finalizing the study and producing a consolidated report for validation by NBA’s governing bodies.

NBA is committed to positioning the RCCAF/NB as a premier regional catalyst, designed to drive adaptation investments and strengthen the climate resilience of communities against the escalating challenges of environmental change in the Niger Basin.