Niger launches project to improve water access
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Colonel Maizama Abdoulaye, Niger’s Minister of Environment, Hydraulics and Sanitation, launched the Water and Sanitation Reinforcement Project (PREPAAR-ZMVE) in Niamey on September 24, 2026. The project aims to improve water and sanitation services in the Zinder region of Niger, a historically underserved area.
The initiative results from a partnership between the Nigerien government and the African Development Bank.
The project will focus on the city of Zinder, Mirriah, and 14 surrounding villages, addressing long-standing difficulties accessing clean water that have hindered economic and social development. A workshop accompanied the launch to train those involved and outline the project’s components and implementation approaches. The minister urged project managers to complete operations efficiently and on schedule. Mamadou Tangara, the African Development Bank’s resident representative, stated the project will ultimately benefit 483,000 people with improved access to drinking water.
It also aims to reduce open defecation rates from 76.5% to 15% and provide access to sludge treatment services for at least 45% of the population. Behavior change campaigns will reach 507,000 people, including 225,000 women, to encourage sanitation service use. The project is budgeted at 98.75 billion and is expected to create 1,265 jobs, including 735 direct and 530 indirect positions. The African Development Bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Niger’s economic and social development.
