This lake in Africa is of vital importance for the whole of Africa

This lake in Africa is of vital importance for the whole of Africa

The largest of the African Great Lakes – Lake Victoria - is at risk of degradation, putting millions in danger of water insecurity and associated poverty and famine.

Unsustainable land management, agricultural practices and the discharge of untreated wastewater are all contributing to its degradation.

The World Bank is working with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to stop the discharge of untreated human waste.



The unabated degradation of a single water body can spell great misfortune for millions of people living in a region already weighed down by climate change, fragility, population growth, and poverty. Yet, if protected, this body of water has the potential to serve as an economic powerhouse – capable of creating green jobs, supporting subsistence and market economies, and securing the future of major population centers several hundred kilometers away. That is the promise and potential of the largest of the African Great Lakes – Lake Victoria. Lake Victoria is shared by three riparian countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with Rwanda and Burundi being part of the upper watershed draining into the lake.

Key drivers of water quality deterioration

In 2020, with support from the Cooperation in International Water in Africa (CIWA), a multi-sector team led by