Lake Chad Basin gets €11.25m funding for water, climate challenges

The Lake Chad Basin has received a major boost with the launch of an €11.25 million regional water management initiative aimed at strengthening water governance, climate resilience and regional stability across one of Africa’s most vulnerable ecosystems.

The new programme, known as the Lake Chad Water Management Action, was officially launched in Bangui, Central African Republic, by the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Government of the Central African Republic, according to a statement by the EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS on Thursday.

The initiative is expected to benefit Nigeria and other member countries of the Lake Chad Basin by promoting sustainable management of shared water resources, improving cooperation among states and supporting communities facing the effects of climate change, environmental degradation and insecurity.

Funded with €7m from the European Union and €4.25m from Germany through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the programme will support resilient infrastructure, hydrological monitoring systems, technical assistance and investment mobilisation for sustainable water resource management.

For Nigeria, where millions of people in the North-East depend on the Lake Chad Basin for agriculture, fishing and livestock production, the initiative is expected to strengthen environmental sustainability while supporting economic recovery and stability in communities affected by climate-related pressures and conflict.

Speaking during the launch ceremony, President of the Central African Republic, Prof Faustin-Archange Touadéra, described the programme as a critical intervention for the future of the region.

“The Central African Republic is a source of the Lake Chad Basin’s hydrological system, which comes with a particular socio-environmental responsibility,” he said.

Touadéra urged governments, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to work together to ensure the success of the initiative.

“Let us save the Lake Chad Basin for the well-being of humanity,” he added.

Representing the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, the Chargé d’Affaires of the European Union Delegation to the Central African Republic, Mr Serge Panaget, said the initiative reflected the EU’s commitment to supporting African-led solutions to regional challenges.

According to him, the programme aligned with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and Team Europe approach, which seek to promote sustainable development through partnerships.

“Climate change and environmental pressures do not stop at borders. Nigeria’s partnership with its neighbours through the Lake Chad Basin Commission is essential for long-term stability and development.

“The European Union is proud to stand alongside Nigeria and regional partners in strengthening cooperation around one of the region’s most important shared resources,” Panaget said.

He noted that the programme would help create opportunities for young people and vulnerable communities by improving access to sustainable livelihoods and strengthening resilience to climate shocks.

“For young people in northern Nigeria and across the Lake Chad region, strengthening resilience around water and natural resources is also about expanding opportunity and supporting long-term stability.

“It is about helping communities build sustainable livelihoods, deepen cooperation and create a stronger foundation for future generations,” he added.

The Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, Amb Ibrahim Babani, described the initiative as a demonstration of the collective resolve of member states to tackle shared challenges through cooperation.

“LACHAWAMA reflects our shared conviction that the challenges facing the Lake Chad Basin require collective and coordinated responses.

“Through this programme, the LCBC reaffirms its commitment to supporting member states in building sustainable and cooperative solutions around our shared water resources,” he said.

Under the programme, regional governance structures will be strengthened to improve water resource management and facilitate the sharing of hydrological data among member countries.

It will also promote climate-resilient and conflict-sensitive approaches to managing water resources across the basin.

The initiative will establish multi-stakeholder dialogue platforms across transboundary sub-basins to improve cooperation on water management, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation and conflict prevention.

At the community level, it will support practical interventions aimed at improving resilience and promoting sustainable natural resource management.

The launch comes amid growing concerns over the future of the Lake Chad Basin, which supports the livelihoods of more than 50 million people across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and the Central African Republic.

Once one of Africa’s largest freshwater bodies, Lake Chad has suffered decades of environmental stress caused by climate change, prolonged droughts, population growth and unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.

The shrinking lake has heightened competition for water and arable land, contributing to poverty, displacement and tensions among farming, fishing and pastoral communities.

The region has also been severely affected by insecurity, particularly the Boko Haram insurgency and related conflicts, which have disrupted livelihoods and weakened local economies.

Experts have repeatedly warned that addressing environmental degradation and improving access to water resources are critical to achieving long-term peace and stability in the region.

Against this backdrop, the €11.25m LACHAWAMA Action is being viewed as an important step towards safeguarding the future of the Lake Chad Basin, strengthening regional cooperation and improving the resilience of millions of people whose lives and livelihoods depend on its waters.