RismadarVoice Reporters
October 10, 2026
The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) have called for faster implementation of regional water infrastructure and climate adaptation projects aimed at improving livelihoods, strengthening food security and promoting sustainable development across the Niger River Basin.
The call followed a series of regional meetings held in Abuja from September 28 to October 9, 2026, involving representatives of the authority’s nine member countries, development partners, technical experts and other stakeholders.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Funmi Imuetinyan, the NBA Executive Secretary, Kocou Houanye, emphasised the need for stronger financial commitments, improved institutional coordination and timely completion of ongoing projects.
Houanye said the authority’s development programmes were critical to improving the welfare of more than 200 million people across the basin, particularly communities dependent on agriculture, fisheries, water transportation and other water-related economic activities.
He identified climate change adaptation, water diplomacy, cross-border infrastructure development and greater participation of women and young people as priorities for regional cooperation.
According to him, more than 80 per cent of employment opportunities across the region are connected to water resources, investing in the sector essential for economic growth and sustainable livelihoods.
The executive secretary expressed concern over delays affecting the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Niger Basin (PIDACC/NB), urging participating countries to accelerate implementation.
He called for the prompt release of counterpart funding, processing of outstanding project requests and completion of infrastructure projects that have experienced delays.
Houanye also urged the relevant member countries to sign the Framework Agreement on the Common Basket Fund by November 15, 2026, and complete documentation required to access resources from the Global Environment Facility.
Providing an assessment of the programme’s progress, he disclosed that physical implementation increased from 37 per cent at the end of June 2025 to nearly 50 per cent by June 2026.
Similarly, the programme’s commitment rate rose from 49 per cent to almost 60 per cent during the same period.
He attributed the improvements to institutional reforms and strengthened programme management but maintained that greater efforts were necessary to complete outstanding projects.
Houanye explained that the authority’s 2027 work plans would prioritise project completion, maintenance arrangements and measures to preserve the benefits of infrastructure already delivered.
He also highlighted the adoption of the NBA Strategic Plan and Operational Plan for 2026–2030, alongside revised administrative, financial and procurement procedures intended to improve institutional performance.
As part of the reforms, the authority is modernising its water and environmental information systems through digital technologies to strengthen data collection, planning, monitoring and the management of shared resources.
The executive secretary further disclosed plans to operationalise the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Fund for the Niger Basin in early 2027.
He said the proposed fund would provide a more sustainable financing mechanism for climate resilience programmes and other development interventions across member countries.
Houanye reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the African Development Bank Group, European Union, World Bank Group, climate finance institutions, private investors and research organisations.
He also announced plans to deepen collaboration with the Lake Chad Basin Commission in addressing shared environmental and development challenges.
Speaking at the closing session of a workshop involving National Coordinating Units and other regional institutions, Umezulike Robert, who represented the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, commended participating countries and development partners for their contributions.
Robert said the 10-day engagements provided an opportunity to review implementation challenges, exchange technical knowledge and identify practical measures for improving the delivery of regional infrastructure projects.
He urged participants to translate the recommendations into concrete actions within their respective countries.
According to him, effective regional cooperation, timely project implementation and proper maintenance of completed facilities are essential to achieving sustainable development objectives.
The Niger Basin Authority comprises nine member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.
The intergovernmental organisation coordinates cooperation in the management and development of the Niger River Basin, whose resources support agriculture, hydropower generation, fisheries, transportation and other economic activities.
The latest engagements are expected to guide member countries in addressing outstanding implementation challenges and strengthening the delivery of regional water and climate adaptation projects.
