River Basin Authorities in Nigeria

Concerns about sustainable food production in Nigeria after the Sahel drought of the early 1970s and a decline in agricultural output following Nigeria's oil boom led to ideas about investing in sustainable food production and managing water resources. Plans were then developed to create government agencies spread out within the country based on the drainage systems of various rivers. In 1973, two river basin authorities were established for Sokoto River and Lake Chad basin.[3]

In 1976, the law establishing the River Basin Development Authorities listed eleven agencies with the mandate to develop water resources to boost agricultural productions.[1] Water resource management to support irrigable crops was one of the crucial mandates of the river basin authorities.[4]

When a democratic administration came into power in 1979, improved capital expenditure was allocated to the river basin authorities, some of which were in states controlled by the opposition but political consideration in choice of contractors and board personnel.

In 1984, new basin authorities were created for each state, an increase to 19 from the original eleven basins. However, this restructuring did not last as a new regime reverted to the previous eleven.

• Chad Basin Development Authority - areas surrounding the Lake Chad Basin.
• Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority - areas drained by the Benue River and its tributaries from the international boundary to Pai and Donga River.
• Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority - catchment area are those within the confluence of Benue and Niger Rivers.
• Cross River Basin Development Authority - catchment area are places drained by the Cross River and tributaries.
• Anambra - Imo River Basin Development Authority - East of Niger River in areas drained by Rivers Imo and Anambra.
• Niger River Basin Development Authority - areas drained by the Niger River starting in the North from the river's confluence with Malendo River and down to Niger River's confluence with Ubo River.
• Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority[5]
• Benin - Owena River Basin Development Authority[6]
• Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority[7]
• Sokoto - Rima River Basin Development Authority[8]
• Hadejia - Jama're River Basin Development Authority.
• Upper Niger River - Niger, Kaduna and FCT

• ANAMBRA-IMO RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Michael Nwabufo -	Managing Director
Michael Nwachukwu 	- Director Engineering
Nweze Obasi- 	Director Agricultural Services
Benjamin Aneke- 	Director Planning and Design
Ngozi Uche 	-Director Finance and Administration

• BENUE-OWENA RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Saliu Ahmed -	Managing Director
Modupe Olalemi 	- Director Engineering
Agbetuyi Bamidele 	- Director Agricultural Services
Olumese Charles 	- Director Planning and Design
Akinya Folorunsho Samson -	Director Finance and Administration

• CHAD RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME -DESIGNATION

Abba Garba 	Managing Director
Babagana Uroma 	Director Engineering
Abdul Tashikalma 	Director Agricultural Services
Modu Surum 	Director Planning and Design
Falmata Maina Dalatu 	Director Finance and Administration

• CROSS RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Bassey Nkposong - 	Managing Director
Esin Winston Mosembe - 	Director Engineering
U.A. Essien 	- Director Agricultural Services
I.I. Udoh - 	Director Planning and Design
Okpata Egbe 	- Director Finance and Administration

• HADEJIA-JEMA’ARE RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Ado Khalid Abdullahi 	- Managing Director
Abubakar Mohammed 	- Director Engineering
Ma’amun Da’u Aliyu 	- Director Agricultural Services
Mohammed Umar Kura 	- Director Planning and Design
Mohammed Awwal Wada 	- Director Finance and Administration

• LOWER BENUE RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Mahmoud Adra 	- Managing Director
Mathias Udoyi-  	Director Engineering
Samuel Ochai 	- Director Agricultural Services
Emmanuel Yepwi 	- Director Planning and Design
Richard Ndidi 	- Director Finance and Administration

• LOWER NIGER RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Adeniyi Saheed Aremu 	- Managing Director
Abdulkarim Mohammed Bello 	- Director Engineering
Tajuddeen Affinih 	- Director Agricultural Services
Olawale Victor 	- Director Planning and Design
Abu Atsumbe Abdullahi 	- Director Finance and Administration

• NIGER DELTA RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Tonye David-West 	- Managing Director
Okwonu Benson 	- Director Engineering
Ikuromo Joshua 	- Director Agricultural Services
Austen Pabor 	- Director Planning and Design
Isaac Akpoede Otuorimo 	- Director Finance and Administration

• OGUN-OSUN RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Olatunji Babalola	- Managing Director
Iyiola Rufus 	- Director Engineering
Bolanle Olaniyan 	- Director Agricultural Services
Adesanya Mutiu Omoniyi - 	Director Planning and Design
Olayiwola Baruwa-  	Director Finance and Administration

• SOKOTO-RIMA RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Olayiwola A. Baruwa 	- Managing Director
Jafar Sadeeq 	- Director Engineering
Sanusi Mai-Afu 	- Director Agricultural Services
Murtala Dalhatu 	- Director Planning and Design
Faruk Madugu Gwandu 	- Director Finance and Administration

• UPPER BENUE RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Abubakar Muazu 	- Managing Director
Mukhtar Umar Isa 	- Director Engineering
Abdulhameed Girei 	- Director Agricultural Services
Yusuf Daniel Ajemasu 	- Director Planning and Design
Haruna Musa 	- Director Finance and Administration

• UPPER NIGER RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

NAME - DESIGNATION

Abdulkarim Ali 	- Managing Director
David Emmanuel 	- Director Engineering
Abdu Aminu Omar 	- Director Agricultural Services
John Bature Gimba 	- Director Planning and Design
Alhassan Bawa Ugbada 	- Director Finance and Administration