Agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Niger concerning the equitable sharing in the development, conservation and use of their common water resources.

The Agreement regulates the equitable development, conservation and use of the water resources in the shared river basins. Shared river basins means "basins which are bi-sected by, or form, the common frontier between the Contracting Parties". Each shared river basin is indicated in article 2 of the Agreement and is defined by reference to the maps annexed thereto. Factors to be taken into account in determining the equitable share to which each Contracting Party is entitled are listed in article 5. They include among others: (a) the climate of the region, and its influence on rainfall patterns; (b) surface hydrology and related hydro-geology; (c) existing uses of the waters; (d) reasonable planned water development requirements; (e) the economic and social development needs of the Contracting Parties; (f) the technological and financial capabilities of each Contracting Party; (g) the proportion in which each Contracting Party contributes to the water balance of the basin. The implementation of the Agreement shall be monitored by the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission for cooperation. Article 12 concerns the establishment of the Permanent Technical Committee of Water Experts which shall: (a) prepare equitable sharing schemes; (b) monitor the performance of agreed upon equitable sharing schemes; (c) recommend to the Commission appropriate measures to be taken in emergency situations; (d) advise the Commission on the interpretation and implementation of equitable sharing determinations . The settlement of disputes shall be performed by the Niger-Nigeria Joint Commission or through the Commission of Mediation, Conciliation and Arbitration of the Organization of African Unity.