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"The region is home to nearly 30 million people, and 60% depend directly on the services provided by the environment – such as fish and clean drinking water– for their well-being." (Conserving Wetlands in Nigeria's Niger River Delta)

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Runoff is highest during the rainy season; also water takes three months to flow through entering and exiting the river.

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Niger River Basin Freshwater in Average Year - River Basin - Niger - Freshwater

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Within the Niger river the highest runoff is recorded during the rainy season which lasts from June to October. Runoff is important for maintaining channel flow particularly as a number of hydroelectric dams are placed on the Niger River and its tributaries (http://ccsl.iccip.net/niger_river_basin.pdf).

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"Four principal environmental issues— land degradation, water degradation, deforestation, and biodiversity loss—have a synergistic effect on water resources in the Basin" (Olivry, Jean Claude, et al 67)

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Fishing is a very widespread occupation involving an estimated 62,000 fishermen of which one may distinguish migrant fishermen, fishermen farmers and sedentary fishermen
(Nze, 1)
The discovery and exploitation of petroleum in the delta region, however, has seriously disrupted fishing there; oil pollution has killed most of the fish, undermining the economy of the ljo (Ijaw) people of the region

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Within NRB (the river as a whole) the water on average falls within the WHO and EU acceptable standard for drinking water. ( Adeaga, Olusegun, et al 55)
However,  there are conflicting new studies that suggest "The Niger Delta region is continuously exposed to a higher rate of oil spills, and about 3.1 million barrels of crude oil enriched in manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) were spilled from 1976 to 2014 in this region. Therefore, the occupants of this region may be at risk of heavy metals toxicity." (Chinedu, Enegide, and Chukwuma Kelechukwu Chukwuemeka )

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Home to a collection of rivers and lakes that are connected though channels to the Niger river flows through nine countries in Northwestern Africa.

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The Niger River, with a total length of 4,100 km, is the third longest river in Africa and has the ninth largest river basin in the world (Itiveh and Bigg 659). The NRB (Niger River basin) is 2,117,700 km²

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The Sahelian sub-desert zone by Timbuktu receives about 250 mm/yr, where as the basin as a whole received roughly 770mm/yr. (Water and Climate Change.)

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Niger River Basin Rainfall in Average Year - River Basin - Niger - Rainfall: The primary source of fresh water for most areas of the world

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The majority of the rain falls during the rainy season that occurs during tropical summer. The Sahelian sub-desert zone by Timbuktu receives about 250 mm/yr, where as the basin as a whole received roughly 770mm/yr. This difference is a reflection of the patchiness of the rainfall of this basin.

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Flowing through different terrains ranging from rain-forest to swamp vegetation, there is an abundance of species. With over 150 species of fish, the Niger River is also home to three different crocodiles, various bird species and the vulnerable African Manatee . (Mabogunje)

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NRB uniquely floods annually starting in September and finishing off around May.  Many studies have been conducted to understand not only why the river continuously but what impact the flooding might have on the future.

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The NBA is a counsel comprised from the nine countries in which the river flows through. Having the cooperation from all nine countries supports the future decisions and survival for the watershed.

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" Through a multidisciplinary dialogue, the SDAP will contribute to building the institutional capacity, policy harmonization, and public support that will create the framework for enhanced cooperation among the Basin countries "(Olivry, Jean Claude, et al  xi)

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"Most of the Niger River—more than three-fourths of its total length—is used by commercial shipping. From the Atlantic Ocean to Onitsha the river is navigable by large vessels throughout the year. " (Mabogunje)
Futhermore, locals use the river as a means for transportation with the use of boats, canoes and other hand-made vessels.

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"Severe environmental problems in the lower Niger Basin, especially downstream of the Onitsha station, include oil and gas related development activities, oil spills,

refinery operations, oil transportation, gas flaring,

dredging of canals and land taken for the construction of facilities" (Adeaga, Olusegun, et al 53)

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Big oil spills are common in the Niger Delta where over 40 million liters of crude oil is spilled annually, resulting in human deaths and damage to the local ecosystem. (Adebayo )

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The Niger River is the main source of water for all nine countries bordering its shores. Water is provided to an estimated 100 million people.

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It is estimated that in the lake region the Niger loses some two-thirds of the annual volume of discharge that flows past Mopti due to evaporation. "The period February to March has the lowest estimates for evaporation primarily because the soil moisture deficit is greatest and little rainfall has occurred in the preceding months." (Water and Climate Change)

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Niger River Basin Evaporation in Average Year - River Basin - Niger - Evaporation

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Throughout the year there is a clear north south divide in evaporation over the Niger basin. Only for July-August is actual evaporation estimated for the northern reaches, this links to rainfall and runoff levels peaking in the basin during these months.

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"The hydropower generation potential in the NRB is estimated at 30,000 GWh per year, of which only 6,000 GWh has been developed" (Ghile, Y. B., et al)

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The NBA carries a strong belief in the SDAP with grants from various investors. "The path ahead is clearly difficult, but, as noted by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo at the Niger Basin Heads of State Summit in January 2004, “The Shared Vision constitutes the ideal, if not the sole, way to follow, so as to preserve the environment and enable joint development of the Niger Basin” (Resolution of the January 2004 Heads of State Summit). It is now up to the NBA and its stakeholders, which include the international donor community, to make this vision a reality" (Olivry, Jean Claude, et al  76)

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The Living Earth Nigeria Foundation, Nigeria conservation foundation along with Shell (oil) have partnered together in order to start the restoration of the Nigeria Delta.
"Fifty-eight community member-groups provided with access to micro-credits have stopped wetland-detrimental livelihood practices (mainly mangrove cutting) and switched to wetland-friendly livelihood practices such as fish, periwinkle, plantation and poultry farming. In addition, they are contributing to wetland restoration through wetland tree nurseries and restoration, tree planting and clearing of waterways overgrown by invasive plant species." (Conserving Wetlands in Nigeria's Niger River Delta)

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"The conclusion from this study is that impacts of climate change may potentially be a threat in the mid-term and distant future for the Niger River Basin for environmental flows, but adequate adaptation is possible by slightly reducing the future dry season irrigated acreage and/or improving irrigation efficiencies. However, in the immediate and near future—before the full scale implementation of SDAP—the risks associated with the present climate variability should receive more attention as most actions to manage climate variability would also help to reduce the risks associated with climate change" (Ghile, Y. B., et al)

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Adeaga, Olusegun, et al. “Quality of Water Resources in the Niger Basin and in the Region of Lagos (Nigeria).” Bulletin of Geography. Physical Geography Series, vol. 13, no. 1, 2017, pp. 51–60., doi:10.1515/bgeo-2017-0013.

Adebayo, Bukola. “Major New Inquiry into Oil Spills in Nigeria's Niger Delta Launched.” CNN, Cable News Network, 26 Mar. 2019, www-m.cnn.com/2019/03/26/africa/nigeria-oil-spill-inquiry-intl/index.html?r=https://www.google.com/.

Chinedu, Enegide, and Chukwuma Kelechukwu Chukwuemeka. “Oil Spillage and Heavy Metals Toxicity Risk in the Niger Delta, Nigeria.” Journal of Health & Pollution, Black Smith Institute, 21 Aug. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6257162/.

“Conserving Wetlands in Nigeria's Niger River Delta.” Wetlands International, 31 May 2016, www.wetlands.org/casestudy/conserving-and-restoring-wetlands-in-nigerias-niger-river-delta/.

Ghile, Y. B., et al. “Bottom-up Climate Risk Assessment of Infrastructure Investment in the Niger River Basin.” Climatic Change, vol. 122, no. 1-2, 2013, pp. 97–110., doi:10.1007/s10584-013-1008-9.

Itiveh KO, Bigg GR (2008) The variation of discharge entering the Niger Delta system, 1951–2000, and estimates of change under global warming. Int J Climatol 28:659–666. doi: 10.1002/joc

Mabogunje, Akinlawon. “Niger River.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/place/Niger-River/Hydrology.

“Niger River Basin Rainfall in Average Year.” RSS, www.waterandclimatechange.eu/rainfall/niger-river-basin-rainfall-in-average-year.

Nze, Ibeawuchi C. “Effects of Dredging Operations on Fishing Sites in the Niger Delta Basin Nigeria.” Oceanography & Fisheries Open Access Journal, vol. 7, no. 1, 2018, doi:10.19080/ofoaj.2018.07.555704.

Olivry, Jean Claude, et al. “The Niger River Basin.” The Niger River Basin, A Vision for Sustainable Management, 2005, pp. 1–166., doi:10.1596/978-0-8213-6203-7.