A once-vast inland lake that sustained millions is now at the centre of one of Africa's most ambitious environmental recovery plans
Governments and development partners race to restore
livelihoods as climate change, economic hardship and insecurity deepen across
the Lake Chad Basin
By
Chris Stone with Agencies report
Lake Chad,
once one of Africa's largest freshwater lakes, has lost around 90% of its surface area since 1960,
transforming from a vast body of water covering about 25,000 square kilometres into a fraction of its former size. The
dramatic decline has left governments across Central and West Africa searching
for lasting solutions to an environmental crisis that now threatens the lives
and livelihoods of roughly 50 million
people.
Stretching across Cameroon,
Chad, Niger and Nigeria, the lake has for generations provided fishing
grounds, farmland, drinking water and grazing areas. Today, however, many of
the communities that once depended on its waters are facing growing uncertainty
as shrinking shorelines, declining fish stocks and reduced agricultural
productivity continue to reshape daily life.
To confront the challenge, regional governments are backing
an ambitious proposal known as Transaqua,
a project estimated to cost US$50
billion. The plan seeks to transfer water from the Congo River Basin into the Chari River, Lake Chad's main source
of water, with the aim of restoring the lake and supporting long-term economic
recovery.
The decline of Lake Chad has not happened overnight.
Scientists and policymakers point to a combination of climate change, rising temperatures, prolonged droughts and
increasingly unpredictable rainfall as major drivers behind the crisis. At the
same time, rapid population growth and expanding irrigation have increased
demand for already limited water resources, placing even greater pressure on
the fragile ecosystem.
The effects extend well beyond the environment. As water
levels have dropped, fishing communities have seen their catches diminish,
fertile farmland has disappeared in many places and competition over grazing
land and water has intensified. Those pressures have weakened household
incomes, threatened food supplies and pushed many vulnerable families towards
humanitarian assistance.
Lake Chad's importance has long been recognised. In 1823, British explorers Hugh Clapperton, Dixon Denham and Walter Oudney were among the first
Europeans to document the lake and the thriving kingdoms surrounding it. At the
time, they encountered one of the continent's most impressive inland water
bodies. Two centuries later, its remarkable transformation has become one of
Africa's most pressing environmental concerns.
While the Transaqua proposal has attracted considerable
attention, governments are also investing in shorter-term measures designed to
stabilise the region while larger plans are being evaluated.
In May 2026,
the African Development Bank,
the Lake Chad Basin Commission and
the commission's five member states launched a US$10 million technical assistance programme known as PARFEBALT. The initiative aims to
improve water monitoring, strengthen cooperation among countries sharing the
basin and prepare the groundwork for larger restoration projects capable of
reviving both the lake's ecosystem and the local economy.
International financial institutions have also expanded
support. In 2020, the World Bank approved US$346 million for two regional
programmes intended to strengthen livelihoods, improve regional cooperation and
increase resilience across Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.
Another US$170
million Lake Chad Region Recovery and Development Project has focused on
climate-smart farming, reopening local markets and creating employment
opportunities. By October 2025,
the programme had improved the livelihoods of about 1.5 million people while providing direct assistance to more than 434,000 residents across affected
communities.
The World Bank also approved a further US$170 million in February 2025 to improve transport
networks, logistics and regional trade in Chad. That programme is expected to
benefit approximately 3.8 million
people, while supporting major road infrastructure intended to
strengthen economic links within the region.
Meanwhile, the African
Development Fund has committed US$17.97
million to stabilisation efforts in Cameroon and Chad, targeting about 125,200 people through projects aimed
at strengthening vulnerable communities.
The idea behind Transaqua itself is not new. It was first
proposed in 1982 by Italian
engineering company Bonifica Spa,
which suggested constructing a 2,400-kilometre
canal linking tributaries of the Congo River to the Chari River. The
proposal remained largely on paper for decades because of its enormous cost,
engineering complexity and the need for cooperation among several countries.
Renewed interest emerged after the 14th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin
Commission in April 2016.
Following that meeting, the commission signed a memorandum of understanding
with POWERCHINA International Group
Limited to support studies into transferring water from the Congo Basin
to Lake Chad. At the time, the company's vice-president, Tian Hailua, announced technical and
financial support, including US$1.8
million for preparatory work.
Supporters argue that, if eventually implemented, the
Transaqua project could deliver benefits beyond simply restoring water levels.
They believe it could boost electricity generation, expand agricultural
production, improve transport links and encourage industrial development across
one of Africa's fastest-growing regions.
However, the proposal has yet to move into construction.
Questions surrounding financing, environmental impact assessments and
agreements among participating governments continue to delay progress, leaving
the project in the planning stage.
The urgency of finding lasting solutions has become even
greater because of the region's wider humanitarian challenges. Poverty,
unemployment and insecurity have grown alongside the lake's decline. Although
environmental degradation did not create the conflicts affecting the region,
fewer economic opportunities have made many communities increasingly vulnerable.
Extremist groups, including Boko Haram, have exploited unemployment, weak government presence
and social frustration in parts of north-eastern Nigeria and neighbouring
countries. According to available figures, more than 77,500 people were displaced across the Lake Chad Basin between
January and July 2026, adding fresh pressure on governments working to
improve security and restore economic opportunities.
For millions of people living around Lake Chad, the debate
is no longer simply about saving a lake. It is about protecting jobs,
preserving food production, strengthening regional stability and giving future
generations a realistic chance to thrive. Whether that future is shaped by the
ambitious Transaqua proposal, ongoing restoration programmes or a combination
of both, the decisions made in the coming years are likely to determine the
direction of one of Africa's most important ecological and human stories for
decades to come.
Post a Comment