Main informations
NBA Secretariat, P.O.Box 729, Niamey, Niger
Basic data
Varies from 1200 mm/ year to 3000 mm/year in Guinea zone to 500 mm/year to 1200 mm/year in Sudanese zone to 100 mm/year to 500 mm/year in Sahelian zone.
The total irrigation potential in the basin is about 2.8 million ha of which about 930,000 ha are presently irrigated.
Other: High hydropower potential of about 30,000 GWH with a current installation of 7000 GWH.
Website
Geographical scope
This includes the Niger River which originates from Guinea with its tributaries of Bani, Gouroval, Dargol, Sirba, Gouroubi, Diamamgou and Tapoa, all originating from Burkina Faso. The other tributaries include Mekrou, Alibori and Sota originating from Benin and Benue from Chad.
| Countries | Area |
|---|---|
|
Algeria
|
161300km²
|
|
Benin
|
45300km²
|
|
Burkina Faso
|
82900km²
|
|
Cameroon
|
88100km²
|
|
Chad
|
16400km²
|
|
Ivory Coast
|
22900km²
|
|
Guinea
|
95900km²
|
|
Mali
|
540700km²
|
|
Niger
|
497900km²
|
|
Nigeria
|
561900km²
|
|
Sierra Leone
|
50km²
|
Function/mandat
The NBA aims to promote cooperation among the member states and to ensure integrated development of the basin through development of its resources in the fields of energy, water resources, agriculture, forestry, transport, communications, and industry. Special provisions are made for environmental damage prevention and control, including prevention and control of water pollution and promotion of human health as well as flora and fauna in the basin. The particular objectives are harmonizing and coordinating the national policies of the member states, designing, implementing and maintaining common projects as well as preparing and implementing an integrated development plan for the basin.
Organisation
The Summit of Heads of State is responsible for policy/decision-making and the general development strategy of NBA. NBA settles all issues that remain unresolved by the Council of Ministers. The Council is responsible for decision-making and the supervision of the Secretariat based on advice from the Technical Committee. The secretariat is manned by two directorates, the Technical and Administration and Finance directorates. The executive secretary is responsible for the management of the authority and execution of its programs. He is supported by a Legal Advisor and a Donors Advisory Committee. Finances are controlled by an Internal Auditor and a Financial Controller.
The NBA is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to ensure integrated development of the basin through stronger international cooperation. Each member state appoints representatives to serve as experts on the Technical Committee of Experts. The Committee meets according to a schedule approved by the Council and prepares the Council sessions.
The NBA has conducted several projects to tackle specific problems in the basin such as aquatic weed control, desertification control and the promotion of biomass gas production and use. There is also an ongoing project (TRI-NIGER) on “Reinforcement of the NBA capacity on conflict resolution among its member states”. One other major project is HYDRONIGER, with the objective of establishing an operational hydrological forecasting system, to assist the member states in their drought and flood control activities, and to provide data for agricultural, hydro-power, navigation, and other development activities on the Niger and its tributaries. The forecasting system is currently (2000) the largest in West Africa, and the most wide-spread. The system allows for data collection via satellite covering eight of the nine member states; only Chad has not been covered due to internal problems. Plans to modernize the HYDRONIGER system are underway. There was also a Three-year Action Plan (2000-2002) aiming at strengthening institutional capacity, developing regional projects to strengthen the co-ordination, monitoring, and control of natural resources, conducting basic studies and implementing pilot projects with a view to achieving a long term integrated development of the basin, developing information, publicity, and documentation activities and intensifying collaboration with international institutions. Two other strategic projects, the GEF project on “Reversal of Environmental Degradation Tendency in the Niger Basin” and the development of a Strategic Action Plan supported by the World Bank were also undertaken
The NBA keeps all member states informed on important developments. The member states are obliged to report any project or work they intend to undertake within the basin. Monitoring and data collection are also major activities for purposes such as water quality control and flood forecasting. The NBA Documentation Centre and a Secretariat quarterly Bulletin are used to facilitate information dissemination.
Recommendations and resolutions of the Council of Ministers are adopted by consensus. Disputes over the interpretation or implementation of the Convention are settled through direct negotiations. If a consensus cannot be reached, the dispute can be brought before the Summit of the Heads of State and Government by one of the member states.
Each member state contributes to the budget of the NBA on the basis of a sharing formula that was agreed upon by the states and last revised in 2000. The contribution to the budget ranges from 30% for Nigeria to 1% for Chad. The NBA also seeks financial support from external donors.
There are no specific provisions for stakeholder participation in the agreements. Stakeholders can access information through the NBA’s Documentation Centre, and a quarterly information bulletin which is published by the Secretariat.
The Niger River Commission was established in 1964 by Agreement of the nine Riparian Countries. It was originally limited to the control of navigation and transport on the Niger. The agreement was amended in 1973 resulting in the reorganization of administrative, executive, and policy-making structures and changing the role of the Commission from a controlling to an implementation agency. As a successor to the Commission, the Convention establishing the Niger Basin Authority was signed in November 1980. Functions were extended to cover data collection, planning, regulation of water use and navigation, environmental matters, irrigation, and agricultural development. The Convention was revised once more in 1987 in order to redefine the objectives of the NBA, to adopt a more focused development program, to restructure the Secretariat and improve the financial situation of the authority. Finally in 1998, a resourceful leadership emerged and with the cooperation and assistance of the countries and donors, the NBA was revitalized. Projects like the HYDRONIGER have been revamped and new donor support has initiated new projects including the development of a shared vision for the future development of the basin.
Legal basis
| Date | Treaty name | Signatories | Basin |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1985-02-26
|
General Agreement
|
Austria
Hungary
Belgium
Denmark
France
Italy
Russia
Netherlands
Spain
Great Britain
Germany
Sweden
Turkey
USA
|
Congo basin
|
|
1921-04-20
|
Barcelona Convention
|
France
|
Niger basin
|
|
1963-10-26
|
Navigation /Economic Cooperation Agreement
|
Cameroun
Chad
Dahomey
Guinea
Mali
Niger
Nigeria
Upper Volta
|
Niger basin
|
|
1964-11-25
|
River Niger Commission -Transport Agreement
|
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cameroun
Chad
Ivory Coast
Guinea
Mali
Niger
Nigeria
|
Niger basin
|
|
1980-11-21
|
Niger Bassin Authority Convention
|
Benin
Cameroun
Chad
Ivory Cost
Guinea
Mali
Niger
Nigeria
Upper Volta
|
Niger basin
|
|
1987-10-27
|
Revised Basin Financial
|
Algeria
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cameroun
Chad
Guinea
Ivory Coast
Mali
Niger
Nigeria
|
Niger basin
|
|
1987-10-29
|
Revised Convention on NBA Creation
|
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cameroun
Chad
Ivory Coast
Guinea
Mali
Niger
Nigeria
|
Niger basin
|
|
1988-07-12
|
Utilization of Niger Water Resources
|
Mali
Niger
|
Niger basin
|
|
1990-07-18
|
Sharing of Common Waters
|
Niger
Nigeria
|
Niger basin
|
|
1999-01-14
|
Hydroelectric Management
|
Benin
Niger
|
Niger basin
|
Challenges
Desertification and land degradation, water resources reduction, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, poverty, migration, institutional capacity building, strengthening cooperation for management and development, stakeholder involvement and need for more funding.