Niger water utility failures: how Niamey’s supply crisis hits households, businesses and the economy
Bacterial contamination, chronic shortages of treatment chemicals, suspected corruption in contract awards and internal mismanagement are laid bare in a provisional audit by Niger’s Court of Accounts, exposing deep vulnerabilities at the state-owned water company, Nigérienne des Eaux (NDE) — with direct consequences for households, businesses and the national economy.
In West Africa, water security remains a critical challenge. In Niger, access to safe drinking water is the last line of defense for millions of homes. But recent findings from the Court of Accounts on the 2023 and 2024 financial years — combined with recent public procurement processes — paint a troubling picture of the national utility.
Off-the-charts contamination: a public health emergency
According to the provisional audit of NDE’s management for 2023–2024, bacteriological tests carried out in several regional centers reveal huge deviations from World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. While the international standard requires zero germs (0 CFU/100 ml), samples showed alarming bacterial presence:
- Doutchi: 50,100 CFU / 100 ml
- Maradi: 30,200 CFU / 100 ml
- Filingué: 17,120 CFU / 100 ml
This decline in water quality is mainly due to the aging of the 6,957-kilometer distribution network, which suffers 20,000 to 40,000 leaks annually. These pipe ruptures allow wastewater infiltration and cause pressure drops. Meanwhile, chlorine dosing — an essential disinfection step — fluctuates erratically, from underdosing in Tillabéri and Dosso to overdosing in Niamey.
The situation is worsened by recurring stock shortages of treatment products (notably calcium hypochlorite) and the use of expired reagents in control laboratories, robbing the company of its ability to certify the potability of the water it distributes.
Network leaks and delivery failures: a financial black hole
Financially, unbilled water losses are estimated at 17.9 million cubic meters per year, representing a direct shortfall of about 5.3 billion CFA francs for state coffers.
On top of these structural losses, several key public contracts have been poorly executed:
- The network equipment contract (DAO No. 001/2025): Awarded in late 2025 to Nascom for 950 million CFA francs (including tax), the main lot for connection equipment is significantly delayed. Despite an advance payment of about 250 million CFA francs, the goods remain stuck at the manufacturer in Tunisia, freezing new customer connections.
- Renewal of treatment products (DAO No. 009/2026): An open tender was launched in September 2026 by NDE’s general management for the urgent supply of calcium hypochlorite, underscoring the imminent need to secure water plants.
Contested internal governance
The document also highlights weaknesses in NDE’s internal control and human resources management. Unilateral spending authorizations, accelerated promotions that bypass standard seniority grids, and the lack of certified training programs for network technicians undermine the company’s technical expertise chain.
As the right of reply and the adversarial phase of the Court of Accounts report continue, these revelations underscore the urgent need for deep structural reforms at Nigérienne des Eaux to guarantee continuity of public service and the health safety of the population.