Hadejia-Nguru wetlands

The Hadejia-Nguru wetlands in Yobe State in northern Nigeria, which include Nguru Lake, are ecologically and economically important.

They are formed where the Hadejia and Jama'are rivers meet lines of ancient sand dunes in a northeast–southwest alignment and break into numerous channels.

With reduced flooding and increasing population, the environment is degrading and there is growing competition between humans and wildlife.

The wetlands support fishermen, who often also farm, and provide fuel wood and leaves used for making mats and ropes.

[4] A dam was built on the Hadejia river just upstream from the wetlands for irrigation purposes, completed in 1972, which has also affected flooding.

[2] Due to these changes, large areas of farming and grazing land and important fish ponds have either dried up along channels blocked by invasive Typha grass, or have been flooded.

Yobe River catchment area showing location of the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands