The Niger River Basin covers a very wide area rich in natural resources and diverse ecosystems such as lakes, forests and floodplains. It is the largest continental wetland in West Africa and the second largest in the entire continent.
The Niger River Basin is an important biodiversity area with a large number of animal species and aquatic plants living in it such as hippos, crocodiles, manatees, reptiles, amphibians, abundant fish and more. The Niger River Basin is also a center for human activities such as agriculture, livestock, fishing, river navigation and tourism.

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The Niger River Basin was submitted in 2017 to the UNESCO Tentative List in Mali.