Geography

Niger is a landlocked country in West Africa located along the border between the Sahara and Sub-Saharan regions. Niger lies between latitudes 11° and 24°N, and longitudes 0° and 16°E. Over 80% of its land area lies in the Sahara Desert. Many of the non-desert portions of the country are threatened by periodic drought and desertification. It is bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin to the southwest, Mali to the northwest, Burkina Faso to the southwest, and Algeria to the northwest. Niger covers a land area of 1,270,000 Sq.Km. making it the largest country in West Africa. Niger ranks 22^nd among the largest countries in the world and covers 0.9% of the total area of the world.

Population and land use

Niger ranks 56^th among the most populous countries of the world, with a total population of 23.3 Million in mid-2019 as per the Population Reference Bureau. The population of Niger accounts for about 0.31% of the total population of the world. The density of the population is 19 inhabitants per Sq.Km. The largest ethnic groups in Niger are the Hausa and the Zarma Songhay. Both groups are farmers who live in the arable, southern part of the country. The terrain is predominantly desert plains and dunes, with flat to rolling savanna in the south and hills in the north.  Of the total area of 127.0 Mha, 46.4 Mha is agricultural land, and 1.14 Mha is forest land.

Climate and Rainfall

Niger’s subtropical climate is mainly scorching and very dry, with much desert area. In the extreme south, there is a tropical climate on the edges of the Niger River basin. Temperatures rise from February to May and drop during the “winter” season, rising again somewhat before falling to their annual minimum averages in December or January. During May (the hottest month), afternoon temperatures are high everywhere, ranging from a low of about 42°C at Nguigmi on Lake Chad to 45°C at Bilma and Agadez, both in the northern desert. In January, afternoon temperatures average more than mid 30°C at most stations but at night may drop to freezing level in the desert.  Rainfall varies according to location as well as the season. The south-center and southwest of the country receives an annual rainfall of 300 mm to 600 mm. A small area surrounding Gaya may receive 700 mm to 900 mm of precipitation. The annual average rainfall is about 389 mm.

Food and agriculture

Agriculture is the primary economic activity and the mainstay of Niger’s economy. About 53% of Niger’s population, rural residents, are engaged in crop tending and are concentrated in the south-center and southwest of the country. Northern areas that support crops rely on oases and better rainfall due to mountain effects. Pearl millet, sorghum, and cassava are Niger’s principal rain-fed subsistence crops. Irrigated rice caters mainly to internal consumption. Cowpeas and onions are grown for export along with small quantities of garlic, peppers, potatoes, wheat, groundnuts, and pulses.

Water resources management

The total renewable water resources are 34.05 Km³/year. Total dam capacity (2015) available is 0.094 Km³. Despite multiple surface water basins, very little precipitation occurs in Niger. So, the government undertook a ten-year process of preparing a water resource management and investment strategy. Information and data management, institutional arrangements, and the legal and regulatory framework are being analyzed to develop a roadmap and strengthen implications for the water sub-sectors. Financing mechanisms in conformity with sustainable management of water resources together with water data collection and information systems need to be developed for this. Niger being a landlocked country with substantial untapped fossil aquifer supplies, working out suitable short-term and medium-term strategies for sustainable water management, seems to be a distinct possibility.

Irrigation and drainage

Niger has witnessed significant growth in irrigation infrastructure during the last decade, which was primarily driven by an increase in small-scale irrigation uptake, and private sector investment. The government’s commitment to expanding irrigation is visible from the comprehensive institutional innovations and policy interventions. Niger still has an enormous potential to increase the land under irrigation. Due to private sector initiatives, some small and medium-scale farmers in Niger are shifting to solar-powered drip irrigation technology, enabling them to increase their output with less water and energy. This has resulted in higher income to farmers and improved resilience to drought, floods, and other climate-related disasters. Over the last decade, the country’s focus on small-scale irrigation to produce vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, peppers, maize, and out-of-season wheat has helped the farmers in a big way. The area under irrigation is estimated to be 0.01 Mha.

River basins

The Niger River basin covers 7.5% of the African continent and spreads over ten countries. Algeria and Chad cover about 9% of the Niger River basin, but there are almost no renewable water resources in these countries. The area of the Niger River basin in Guinea is only 4% of the basin area, but the sources of the Niger River are located in this country. The quantity of water entering Mali from Guinea is higher than the amount of water entering Nigeria from Niger further downstream. This is due to the enormous reduction in runoff in the inner delta in Mali through seepage and evaporation combined with almost no drainage from the whole of the left bank in Mali and Niger. The most critical areas of the Niger basin are located in Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. Mali and Niger are entirely dependent on the Niger River for their water resources. In the case of Niger, nearly 90% of its total water resources originate outside its borders, mainly from the Niger River and other tributaries from Burkina Faso and Benin.

Water sharing agreements

Some of the important water-sharing agreements of Niger are: (i) Act regarding navigation and economic co-operation between the States of the Niger Basin. Passed at Niamey, on 26 October 1963; Came into force on 1 February 1966. (ii) Convention creating the Niger Basin Authority (with protocol relating to the development fund of the Niger Basin). Concluded at Faranah, Guinea, on 21 November 1980; Came into force on 3 December 1982.  (iii) Agreement concerning a study on the navigability of the central portion of the Niger River. Signed at Niamey, on 22 September 1967; Came into force on 22 September 1967; (iv) Agreement concerning the Niger River Commission and the navigation and transport on the River Niger. Done at Niamey on 25 November 1964; Came into force on 12 April 1966.  and, (v) Agreement revising the Agreement concerning the Niger River Commission and the navigation and transport on the River Niger of 25 November 1964. Adopted at Niamey on 15 June 1973; Came into force on 15 December 1973. 

ICID and National Committee

Niger became a member of the ICID in 2007 and formed its national committee ANID. Mr. Ahmed Salifou is the current Secretary General of ANID and can be contacted at