THE NIGER RIVER BASIN

Cody McCannMarch 6, 2012

Overview

Background Information Issues within the Basin Organization Development

Background Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Burkina Faso, Algeria,

Benin, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria 4100 km Basin Sections: Upper, Inland Delta, and Lower Major tributaries: Bani, Sokoto-Rima, and Benue Population: 150 million

Mali Dams

Sotuba Dam- Built in 1929- 0.22 km^3 of water use

Selingue Dam- Built in 1982- Power Capacity: 44 MW- 200 Million kWh/yr

Markala Dam- Built in 1947- Power Capacity: 10 MW

Nigeria Dams

Jebba Dam- Built in 1983- Power Capacity: 540 MW- Water Capacity: 3600 mil m^3

Kainji Dam- Built in 1964- Power Capacity: 760 MW- Creates Lake Kainji

Area and Rainfall by Country

Basin History

Colonial Era- Conference of Berlin, 1885- Franco-German Treaty, 1911- Saint-Germain-en-Laye, 1919

Post-Colonial Era- Niger River Commission, 1964- Niger Basin Authority, FONDAS 1980

Political Instability

Water Related Issues

Development and Increased Population- Irrigation Potential- Hydropower Potential- Transportation- Flood and Drought Mitigation- Livestock and Fisheries- Ecotourism

Water Related Issues (con’t) Environment- Land Degradation- Water Degradation- Deforestation- Biodiversity Loss- Climate Change

Possible Solutions

Basin-Wide Sustainability- Beyond Unilateral Planning

Strong Political Leadership- NBA- World Bank

Discussion What do you think would be more effective for the Niger

Basin Authority, to focus on fundraising and development projects, or work to establish a plan for development and management for the basin as a whole?

How much influence should developed countries in the region have over the development in developing countries in the basin? How could the international community help with the basin or this region?

Why do you think that the countries of the basin have been able to work well together? What lessons do you think we can learn from this basin’s cooperation?

Works Cited(1) http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz/oforiaa/

(2) http://www.thisfabtrek.com/journey/africa/mali/20080201-segou.php

(3) http://www.uneca.org/awich/Reports/Transboundary_v2.pdf

(4) http://www.fao.org/docrep/W4347E/w4347e0i.htm 

(5) http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWAT/Resources/4602114-1206643460526/Niger_River_Basin_Vision_Sustainable_Management.pdf

(6) http://www.slideshare.net/cpwfbfp/niger-basin-focal-project-2062282

(7) http://www.sie-isw.org/en/lobbying-tools/river-vision

(8) http://www.international-alert.org/sites/default/files/publications/201112NigerClimateChange_FINAL_0.pdf

(9) http://www.festivalsegou.org/concept%202006%20english.pdf