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- Statistics show that Lake Chad has shrunk in area by some 92 per cent in recent decades.
- This fast-shrinking waterbody, partly due to the worsening effects of climate change, is putting roughly 50 million people at risk.
- AfDB is championing a strategy to restore the lake’s ecosystem to counter the tide of loss and destruction of livelihoods.
Once considered the sixth-largest inland water body on earth for livelihood, Lake Chad Basin has shrunk in area by some 92 per cent in recent decades. The shrinking of the waterbody, partly due to the worsening effects of climate change, is putting roughly 50 million people at risk, as they depend on the larger Chad Basin for food security.
“The population living in this ecosystem is facing major socio-economic challenges – add to that the insecurity situation due to terrorist groups, which brings loss of livelihood, destruction of households, forced internal displacements, and beyond our national frontiers,” said Republic of Chad Minister of Water, Passalet Kanade Marssela.
To counter the tide of loss and destruction of livelihoods, the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the Lake Chad Basin Commission have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to rehabilitate and restore the Lake Chad Basin.
The agreement, signed on the sidelines of the 37th African Union Summit held in Ethiopia, will mobilize financial and technical resources to improve the development and management of water resources, support livelihoods, and restore peace in the volatile region.
AfDB Vice President for Regional Development, Integration, and Business Delivery, Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, told dignitaries and sector leaders in water and agriculture at the signing ceremony that the agreement provides a framework for projects and programs to improve the quality of life for millions of Africans.
“This Memorandum of Understanding involves transforming living conditions in the hydrographic basin of the six member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, namely Chad, Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, the Central African Republic, and Libya.
“As the main financial partner of the Commission for several years, we will consolidate the gains made through a new integrated regional program that accelerates sustainable solutions to the challenges of Lake Chad and further improves the living conditions of the basin’s population,” she said.
The Lake Chad Basin Commission named the AfDB the “Champion Lead Partner for resource mobilization for the revival of Lake Chad.”
Ambassador Mamman Nuhu, Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, added, “Our shared goal is to ensure the sustainability of the Lake Chad Basin, especially the lake, which has dramatically shrunk due to climate change and increased human demands.
“This…is a manifestation of our commitment to ensuring water security, economic prosperity, and stability in the region. It is integral to our shared goal to build climate resilience and sustainable growth.”
The AfDB has a track record of impactful support for the Lake Chad Basin Commission and its goals. Since 2005, the Bank has financed $241.3 million for several multinational water, transport, environment, and social projects.
Recently, the Bank approved $17.8 million for a United Nations Development Program initiative, “Rompre le cycle de fragilité à travers la stabilisation au lac Tchad” (“Breaking the cycle of fragility through stabilization in Lake Chad”). This initiative is expected to raise $21.5 million in additional financing from partner organizations.
AfDB is also developing a multi-year institutional capacity-building program to strengthen the Lake Chad Basin Commission and conduct in-depth environmental, technical, and economic studies to inform solutions, decision-making, and financing requirements for basin restoration.
In addition, the Bank’s African Water Facility is financing the development of the second five-year investment plan to build a pipeline of projects for the sustainable and beneficial use of water resources in the basin and prepare the groundwork for further investments.
Lake Chad Basin – a look at the worsening water crisis
The Lake Chad Basin, spanning 2,434,000 km2, is a vital water resource in Africa, covering approximately 8 per cent of the continent’s surface area. Shared by Chad (45 per cent), Niger (28 per cent), Central African Republic (CAR) (9 per cent), Nigeria (7 per cent), Algeria (4 per cent), Sudan (4 per cent), Cameroon (2 per cent), and Libya (0.5 per cent), the basin plays a crucial role in the region’s water supply.
Chad and Niger have the most prominent shared territory, but three-quarters of the lake’s water originates from the CAR and Cameroon. The basin comprises three principal aquifers: the upper Quaternary with the Lower Pliocene, the Continental Terminal, and the Cretaceous lower aquifer. These aquifers rely heavily on surface water, primarily from Lake Chad, making them highly susceptible to climatic changes.
Recent years have seen a decline in groundwater recharge, primarily due to droughts and management decisions in upstream regions. River flows have decreased by 47 per cent since the late sixties, and total inflow volume into the lake has dropped by 50 per cent due to lower precipitation.
The Lake Chad Basin has experienced the most significant decline in biodiversity over the last 40 years. Despite efforts to manage threats and pressures, the lake’s decline continues. This crisis highlights the urgent need for sustainable water management practices and international cooperation to preserve this vital resource for the region’s future generations.
Read also: Is Africa climate change management plan weak or strong?
Conflict in Lake Chad Basin
The Lake Chad Basin countries have been grappling with significant insecurity issues for years, including banditry, abduction, highway robbery, and cattle rustling.
However, the most pressing security challenge in the region remains the Boko Haram crisis, which has affected countries such as Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria, leading to challenges in state functionality and the provision of human security.
According to the UNDP, addressing conflict dynamics in the Lake Chad Basin involves examining the various actors, structures, and processes contributing to insecurity, mainly focusing on the Boko Haram extremist group and its connections to other conflict or security actors.
The death of Abubakar Shekau, the longtime leader of Boko Haram, in May 2021 had a significant impact on violent extremism in the area. Following his death, the Islamic State West Africa Province sought to take over territories previously controlled by Shekau’s faction and recruit his fighters, leading to inter-group clashes and a wave of fallout from Boko Haram.
By the end of 2021, about 20,000 individuals had left territories controlled by JAS (Jama’atu AhlisSunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad) and surrendered to security forces.
In October 2021, the Nigerian army confirmed the death of Abu Musab al-Barnawi, ISWAP’s leader and the son of Boko Haram’s founder, Mohammed Yusuf. However, ISWAP has continued to expand its influence, particularly in Nigeria’s northeast area.
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