Nigeria has called for increased public and private investment in the Niger and Lake Chad basins to address environmental, economic and security challenges affecting communities across the subregion.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr Joseph Utsev, made the call yesterday at the opening of a three-day regional conference on Hydrodiplomacy, Gender and Strategic Investments in Abuja, supported by German Cooperation.
Utsev said the strategic importance of the two basins required greater investment in water infrastructure and other sectors critical to regional development. He noted that water resources transcend political boundaries, stressing the need for countries sharing the basins to ensure their sustainable and equitable management.
He said the scale and complexity of the challenges facing the shared basins require financing beyond what public resources alone can provide. He urged mobilization of greater support from development partners, international financial institutions, the private sector and innovative financing mechanisms, and encouraged partners to see the Niger and Lake Chad Basins not only as areas of vulnerability but also as opportunities for investment, economic growth and regional transformation.
According to the minister, investments in water infrastructure, climate resilience, irrigation, sanitation, ecosystem restoration, renewable energy, livelihoods and knowledge could deliver benefits across national borders.
The Executive Secretary of the Niger Basin Authority, Mr Kocou Houanye, also called for stronger regional cooperation and accelerated investment to address the challenges. He said the conference provides an opportunity for countries and institutions within the two transboundary basins to strengthen dialogue, address shared challenges and promote sustainable development.
Houanye said the three-day conference, jointly organised by the NBA and Lake Chad Basin Commission, provides a neutral platform for dialogue and negotiations on conflicts linked to natural resources and environmental challenges.
