List of rivers of Nigeria

Major river systems

The dominant watercourses are the Niger River, which traverses West Africa before entering Nigeria, and the Benue River, which joins the Niger at Lokoja. Other principal systems include the Cross River in the southeast and several coastal rivers that drain into the Gulf of Guinea and the Bight of Benin.

Selected rivers (alphabetical highlights)

• Niger River – the principal artery crossing western and central Nigeria.
• Benue River – main eastern tributary meeting the Niger at Lokoja.
• Cross River – flows through southeastern rainforests to the Atlantic.
• Gongola – a northern tributary of the Benue system.
• Hadejia – part of the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands in the north.
• Kaduna – tributary of the Niger with industrial and agricultural uses.
• Komadugu Yobe / Yobe – drain northeastern basins toward Lake Chad fringes.
• Ogun, Osun and Imo – important southwestern and southeastern rivers.
• Delta channels such as Forcados, Nun, Bonny and Escravos distribute Niger flows into the Atlantic.
• Coastal rivers including the Qua Iboe and New Calabar serve local fisheries and ports.

Uses and human impact

Rivers supply water for irrigation, domestic use, transport and fisheries. Hydroelectric dams and reservoirs (for example on the Niger) support power generation and flood control but also alter sediment and fish migration. Urbanization, agriculture and oil-industry activities have increased pollution and habitat loss in some basins.

Ecology and management

The Niger Delta contains extensive mangroves and wetlands of high biodiversity value; northern river systems sustain seasonal floodplains and wetlands important for pastoralism and wildlife. Because several rivers are transboundary, cooperative management and attention to pollution, upstream water use and climate-driven variability are key to sustainable river basin governance.

For mapped lists and further reading, see regional river maps and national hydrology resources at reference portals.