The Federal Government has called for stronger hydrodiplomacy, regional cooperation and strategic investments to address shared water, climate, environmental and development challenges in the Niger and Lake Chad Basins.
Speaking at the ongoing Regional Conference on Hydrodiplomacy, Gender and Strategic Investments for Peace, Stability and Shared Prosperity in Transboundary Basins in Abuja, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, FNSE, said the conference provides an important platform for advancing sustainable water resources management, climate resilience and peaceful development across the region.
Prof. Utsev reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), ECOWAS, governments, development partners, financial institutions, civil society organisations and communities, particularly in the areas of water supply and sanitation, ecosystem restoration and climate adaptation.
He also called for stronger collaboration between the NBA and LCBC, urging participants to translate the outcomes of the conference into concrete actions that would promote peace, stability, resilience and shared prosperity across the region.
In his address, the Executive Secretary of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), Mr. Kocou Houanye, said the conference would deepen regional cooperation in addressing climate change, insecurity and natural-resource conflicts, while promoting regional integration and strategic investments. He noted that the physical implementation of the Integrated Development and Climate Change Adaptation Programme in the Niger Basin (PIDACC) had increased to 48.3 per cent, while financial implementation had risen to 57 per cent.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), Amb. Ibrahim Babani, highlighted the Commission’s efforts to strengthen evidence-based water management and stressed the importance of the active participation of women and young people in water diplomacy, peacebuilding and innovation.
The Representative of German Cooperation (GIZ), Mrs. Hanna Albrecht, commended the Government of Nigeria, the NBA and LCBC for sustaining regional cooperation, noting that the shared challenges of climate change, pressure on natural resources, insecurity and threats to livelihoods required coordinated and community-focused responses. She reaffirmed GIZ’s readiness to support the basin organisations and member states through technical expertise, institutional cooperation and community participation.
Earlier in her goodwill message, the representative of Germany and the European Union, Dr. Karin Jansen, reaffirmed support for the LCBC and NBA, stressing the importance of strong institutions, reliable information, community participation and Member State ownership in promoting transboundary cooperation, peace and sustainable development.
Representative of the National Focal Structure of the NBA in Nigeria, Mrs. Angela Keyede, said the conference provided an important platform for strengthening cooperation on water resources management, climate resilience, peace and security, population movement and sustainable development.
The ongoing conference has brought together representatives of governments, basin organisations, development partners, financial institutions, civil society organisations, the private sector and community stakeholders to deliberate on practical approaches to strengthening regional cooperation, mobilising strategic investments and promoting peace, stability and shared prosperity across the Niger and Lake Chad Basins.
The conference,which commenced today , will end this Wednesday with participants expected to further deliberate on key issues and develop actionable outcomes to strengthen cooperation and sustainable development across the transboundary basins.
Signed
Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan
Director, Information and Public Relations
28/09/2026
