The Lake Victoria Basin Water Information System (LVB-WIS) has officially been launched.
The system was unveiled during the Development Partners Round Table convened as part of the inaugural Lake Victoria Day Celebration in Mwanza, United Republic of Tanzania, on 20th May 2026.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water and Environment, Dr Alfred Okidi, led other dignitaries in launching the system, marking a major milestone for the Lake Victoria Basin.
Other dignitaries who attended the event included Vanessa Eidt Country director Kfw ( German cooperation Tanzania, Ally Mwinchande,Programme officer responsible for the Cooperation with EAC and LVBC at the EU Commission and the Executive Secretary of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Dr Masinde Bwire.
While unveiling the Lake Victoria Basin Water Information System, LVBC Water Resources Modeller Benjamin Ssekamuli said the platform will transform how the basin monitors and manages water resources by providing real-time and historical hydrological and meteorological data, as well as water balance assessments, among other things.
Ms Eidt described the establishment and maintenance of a robust Water Information System as “a great milestone” that will ensure harmonized data is available to all partners for monitoring basin health and tracking the impact of collective interventions. She added that data generated by the system will guide future investment decisions by LVBC and Partner States towards long-term sustainability.
Dr Bwire noted that the digital platform will help aggregate data, support basin monitoring, strengthen early warning systems, and underpin evidence-based decision-making and compliance reporting.
Speaking as chief guest, Dr Okidi applauded LVBC for achieving the milestone, saying the system would support the identification of pollution hotspots, flood forecasting, and climate monitoring across the Lake Victoria Basin.
Developed under the Lake Victoria Basin Integrated Water Resources Management Programme, the LVB-WIS is designed to support policy-making and guide investment decisions for sustainable development within the basin.
Its use has already contributed to increased awareness, improved problem analysis, and stronger support for investment planning.
The system comprises a database platform integrated with water resources management models. Its built-in Knowledge Hub also provides access to Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) data, maps, publications, and other key resources.
Managed by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, the LVB-WIS serves as a shared facility for all Partner States and was developed through close collaboration with national institutions and regional partners
The development of the LVB-WIS cost approximately USD 150,000. To allow for remote access by the users, a high-end server costing approximately USD 125,000 was installed at LVBC headquarters. The operationalization of the LVB-WIS, with eight pilot cases being implemented is estimated at over USD 720,000
