Theme 3-18-Environmental impact of water hyacinth prolifiration and control along the river Niger

Abstract

The river Niger, with a catchment area of about 1,471,000 sq. km., is situated between latitudes 4° and 17° North, longitude 12° West and 15° East, from the Fouta Djallon Mountains, at approximately 800 m altitude, in the Republic of Guinea, where it takes its source, to Nigeria where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean (see Figure 1). It is the longest river in West Africa, about 4,200 km long, which is the third longest in Africa and the ninth in the world (NBA Documentary Report 1)

The river catchment area covers 9 West Africa and part of Central African Countries, namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Chad, Cote D’ivoire, Mali, Niger and Nigeria. This countries constituted the Niger Basin Authority member countries.