More than 80 per cent of jobs in the Niger Basin depend on water resources, and the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) says that making faster delivery of development projects is an urgent matter.
The Authority and the Federal Government of Nigeria called for accelerated project implementation, sustainable financing, stronger regional cooperation and better water resources management to improve the livelihoods of more than 200 million people living in the Basin.
The call, the statement made available by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan, came at the end of a series of regional meetings organised by the NBA in Abuja from 28 September to 9 October 2026.
The meetings brought together representatives of the nine member countries, users of natural resources, technical and financial partners and other stakeholders to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation and speeding up sustainable development across the Basin.
Speaking, the NBA Executive Secretary, Mr. Kocou Armand Houanye, stressed the need to fast-track ongoing projects, complete multipurpose water infrastructure, strengthen institutional governance and ensure that project outcomes last.
He said hydrodiplomacy, the participation of youth and women, climate change adaptation, programme management and the development of transboundary water infrastructure were critical to sustainable development and regional stability.
Houanye said the vulnerability of young people across the Basin must be reduced, and he urged investments that would create economic opportunities, build resilience and improve livelihoods.
He described the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Niger Basin (PIDACC/NB) as entering a decisive phase.
He urged member countries to speed up work on outstanding infrastructure projects, release counterpart funds and improve the processing of project requests.
He also asked the countries concerned to sign the Framework Agreement on the Common Basket Fund by 15 November 2026 and to expedite the documentation needed to access Global Environment Facility (GEF) resources, so that access can begin from November 2026.
Houanye disclosed that the physical implementation rate of PIDACC/NB rose from 37 per cent at the end of June 2025 to nearly 50 per cent at the end of June 2026. Its commitment rate climbed from 49 per cent to nearly 60 per cent over the same period.
He credited the progress to continuing institutional reforms and better programme management and said the 2027 work plans must prioritise faster implementation, adequate maintenance arrangements and the consolidation of gains ahead of the programme’s closure.
The Executive Secretary also pointed to progress in institutional governance. This includes the adoption of the NBA Strategic Plan and Operational Plan for 2026 to 2030, the rollout of revised administrative, financial and procurement procedures, and measures to strengthen staffing and operational efficiency.
Other advances include the modernisation and digitalisation of the Authority’s water and environment information systems, as well as efforts to make the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Fund for the Niger Basin operational from early 2027, to support more sustainable financing of the institution’s activities.
Houanye reaffirmed the NBA’s commitment to deepening partnerships with the African Development Bank Group, the European Union, the World Bank Group, climate finance institutions, the private sector and the research community. He added that cooperation with the Lake Chad Basin Commission would also be strengthened.
Earlier, at the closing session of the workshop for National Coordinating Units, the National Focal Structure of the NBA and the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) Focal Point in Nigeria, Mr. Umezulike Robert A. spoke on behalf of the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev.
He commended the NBA leadership, member countries and development partners for their contributions to the success of the meetings.
He said the ten-day engagements offered a valuable platform for sharing experiences, identifying implementation challenges and developing practical solutions to improve delivery of PIDACC/NB sub-projects and infrastructure projects across member countries.
He expressed confidence that the knowledge gained and the recommendations adopted would lead to better project implementation, stronger institutional performance and improved outcomes for communities across the Basin.
He urged participants to apply the lessons learnt in their home countries, stressing that sustained regional cooperation, effective project delivery and maintenance of completed infrastructure were essential to the shared development objectives of the NBA.
The meetings covered hydrodiplomacy, gender inclusion, water security, climate adaptation, infrastructure development and programme implementation.
They reaffirmed the commitment of member states and partners to a common vision of sustainable development, peace and prosperity across the Niger Basin.
