Institutional and organizational audit of the Niger Basin Authority
The riparian States of the Niger River and its tributaries created in November 1964 the Niger River Commission (NRC) with the aim of "encouraging, promoting and coordinating the studies and programs related to the development of the basin resources".
After seventeen years, the States decided to change the NRC into another institution, whose assignments would be more extended, the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) with 9 member countries: Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.
Institutional development and capacity building are a priority for the Niger Basin Authority and its Member States. The main goal of this audit was to make NBA a legal and institutional framework, truly operational and effective on the long term, in order to achieve sustainable development of the basin for the well-being of the riparian populations.
1) At the institutional level
NBA Mandate: Critical analysis of the actions undertaken by NBA in compliance with its mandate and objectives.
NBA Organization: Definition of a framework and mechanisms for the follow-up and facilitation of technical and management activities of the NBA Executive Secretariat.
Distribution key of the countries’ financial contributions to NBA operation: Evaluation of the effectiveness of
the distribution key of the States’ financial contributions and recommendations for improving it.
2) At the organizational level
NBA Organization: Critical analysis of NBA structure and proposal for a new organizational scheme to enable it to play its role with more effectiveness.
Capacity building and human resources: Evaluation of the human resources of the NBA Executive Secretariat and proposals for criteria for the definition of the positions, jobs and profiles required for making NBA operational and efficient.