*As NB-ITTAS Project Nears Completion
To strengthen regional cooperation for sustainable water management, the Federal Government of Nigeria is in partnership with the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) and key development partners.
It has also launched a high-level regional workshop to review the progress of the Niger Basin–Iullemeden-Taoudéni/Tanezrouft Aquifer Systems (NB-ITTAS) project.
The five-day workshop, which holds in Abuja from May 26 to 30, 2025, brings together stakeholders from the nine NBA member countries to strengthen transboundary water cooperation and promote climate-resilient solutions in the region.
Declaring the workshop open, the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev who was represented by the Ministry’s Director of Planning and Technical Support Services, Engr. Adeyinka Adenopo, highlighted NB-ITTAS as a strategic initiative addressing critical environmental challenges such as climate change, land degradation, water pollution, and ecosystem decline across the Niger Basin.
Prof. Utsev, in a statement by Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan, Director Information and PR, explained that the NB-ITTAS project supports the Niger Basin Authority’s (NBA) Sustainable Development Action Plan and contributes to the development of a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and Strategic Action Plan for the shared aquifer systems.
“The project addresses pressing environmental challenges such as climate change, land degradation, and pollution from agriculture, industry, and urbanisation,” he noted.
He added that NB-ITTAS has contributed to improving community livelihoods and enhancing ecosystem resilience across the Basin, although outcomes have varied among participating locations. In Nigeria, the project is currently being implemented in the Ayele-Iggah and Akpanaja communities in Nasarawa State.
Prof. Utsev underscored the project’s alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 6—Clean Water and Sanitation—particularly its focus on integrated water resources management and transboundary cooperation.
He urged all stakeholders to remain committed to regional collaboration and the exchange of knowledge to ensure lasting benefits for the people and ecosystems of the Niger Basin.
Speaking at the event, the Acting Executive Secretary of the NBA, Mr. Zinsou Didier, represented by NBA Technical Director Mr. Adamou Ibro, expressed gratitude to the Government of Nigeria for hosting the workshop.
He stated that NB-ITTAS has achieved significant milestones across its four core components, including the execution of 17 community-based pilot projects, protection of aquatic habitats, sustainable forest management, and the establishment of three regional and seven national platforms for cross-border ecosystem governance.
Mr. Didier noted that while considerable progress has been made, there remains a need for stronger community ownership and institutional support to consolidate the project’s achievements.
Also addressing participants, NBA Project Coordinator, Engr. Adeyinka Adenopo, represented by Deputy Director of Planning, Mrs. Angela Keyede, commended the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for funding the project. She stressed that GEF support enabled the implementation of IWRM strategies to boost ecosystem resilience and improve socio-economic outcomes across the Basin.
The NB-ITTAS project supports the NBA’s Sustainable Development Action Plan and contributes to the development of a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and Strategic Action Plan for shared groundwater systems.
The statement added "As the workshop continues, participants are expected to document best practices, evaluate project impacts, and adopt resolutions to scale up successful interventions and strengthen regional cooperation in sustainable water governance.
"The NBA promotes transboundary water cooperation and sustainable development across its nine member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria.
"Through initiatives like NB-ITTAS, the Authority balances environmental conservation with the socio-economic needs of over 160 million people who rely on the Basin’s resources." it stated