Bacteriological contamination, shortages of treatment chemicals, suspected corruption in contract awards, and management excesses: a provisional report from the Court of Accounts has exposed deep vulnerabilities at the Nigérienne des Eaux (NDE).
In West Africa, water security remains a critical challenge. In Niger, access to safe drinking water is the last line of defence for millions of households. But recent findings by the country’s Court of Accounts for fiscal years 2023 and 2024, combined with recent public procurement procedures, paint a troubling picture of the national water utility.
Bacteriological contamination far exceeds WHO standards
According to the provisional audit of NDE’s management for 2023–2024, bacteriological tests carried out in several regional centres reveal huge deviations from World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. 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 deterioration in water quality is mainly due to the ageing of the 6,957-kilometre distribution network, which suffers between 20,000 and 40,000 leaks annually. These pipe breaks allow wastewater infiltration and cause pressure drops. Meanwhile, chlorine dosing—a crucial step in disinfection—varies erratically, from under-dosing in Tillabéri and Dosso to over-dosing in Niamey.
The situation is worsened by recurrent stock shortages of treatment products, particularly calcium hypochlorite, and the use of expired reagents in control laboratories. This leaves the utility unable to certify the potability of the water it distributes.
Network losses and supply failures drain public finances
Financially, non-revenue water losses are estimated at 17.9 million cubic metres per year, representing a direct shortfall of about 5.3 billion CFA francs for state coffers.
These structural losses are compounded by poor execution of key public contracts:
- The network equipment contract (DAO No. 001/2025): Awarded in late 2025 to Nascom for 950 million CFA francs (VAT included), the main lot for connection equipment is significantly delayed. Despite an advance payment of about 250 million CFA francs, the goods remain blocked 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, highlighting the pressing need to secure water treatment plants.
Internal governance under fire
The document also highlights weaknesses in internal control and human resource management at NDE. Unilateral spending authorisations, accelerated promotions that bypass usual seniority rules, and the absence of certified training programmes 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 the Nigérienne des Eaux to ensure continuity of public service and protect public health.