ADB grants loan for Niger water and sanitation projects

The African Development Bank has approved a $59.64m loan to support water and sanitation projects in Niger.

The loan will be used to finance the Water Mobilization Project to Enhance Food Security, which aims to increase the capacity for water and soil conservation, and reduce post-harvest losses in the regions of Maradi, Tahoua and Zinder.

The project involves the construction and rehabilitation of water-spreading bunds and mini dams, the development of a 17,600ha irrigation area and the construction of village wells by 2017.

Niger will also receive a grant to finance the national rural drinking water supply and sanitation programme.

Under the water project, 9,881 new devices, 99 drinking water supply structures, 297 new boreholes fitted with hand pumps and 130 rehabilitated boreholes will be complete by 2014.

The projects are co-financed by the Spanish Cooperation Agency and the French Development Agency.