Guiding Niger River Basin investments using a WEFE Nexus approach
This blog post is part of a special monthly series entitled “Making a Difference,” documenting the impact of IFPRI's projects and initiatives. These stories reflect the wide breadth of the Institute's research, communications, and capacity-strengthening activities around the world, in fulfillment of its mission. The blog series has been peer- reviewed by IFPRI's Impact Committee members.
- water
- energy
- food
- Niger River
By Maria DiGiovanni and Claudia Ringler April 21, 2026
The Niger River is a key lifeline for approximately 160 million people in the nine countries that share the basin’s water
and related resources in West Africa. The region’s immediate welfare and long-term development depend on improving
the management of the resources and ecosystem services of the Niger River Basin. To achieve this, IFPRI has supported
a key regional governing body, the Niger Basin Authority, in developing a sustainable management strategy using the
Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) Nexus approach—which considers synergies and trade-offs across
interconnected sectors, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of investments.