Niger River Commission

The Niger River Commission is an African agency established in 1963 to coordinate multinational efforts for the development of the Niger River and its tributaries. The commission has supported studies on the navigability of the middle Niger River, specifically between Gao, Mali, and Yelwa, Nigeria.1

The Niger River itself is the principal river of western Africa and the third longest in Africa. It flows through several countries, including Mali and Nigeria, and is crucial for transportation, irrigation, and hydroelectric power generation. The river's basin is home to diverse ecosystems and ethnic groups. The Royal Niger Company, a 19th-century British mercantile company, also operated in the Niger River valley, extending British influence in the region that later became Nigeria.12