Niger River Basin: A Vision for Sustainable Management (Directions in Development)

The Niger River Basin, home to 100 million people, is a vital yet complex asset for West and Central Africa. It is the continent’s third largest river basin, traversing nine countries -Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. The River embodies both these nations’ livelihoods and their geopolitics. It is not simply water but rather an origin of identity, a route for migration and commerce, a source of conflict, and a catalyst for cooperation. Cooperation among decision-makers and users is crucial to address the threats to water resources. The Niger Basin Authority is mandated to foster this cooperation and sharing of resources. The Basin riparians have renewed their commitment to address sustainable management and development of the Basin’s resources through an improved framework and a Shared Vision process. Niger River Basin provides an overview of the water resources potential, discussing the river basin’s, geology, hydrology, climate, and water quality and use, and providing a vision and approaches for sustainable development of water resources. It serves as a tool for transborder cooperative environmental and water resource management by capturing the full spectrum of the Niger ecosystem’s values and benefits and supporting the integration of science and decision-making. A comprehensive overview of the Niger River Basin water resources and their sustainability, this title will be of interest to decision-makers, stakeholders, and the technical/scientific community.