Nile Basin Capacity Building Network Foundation

What Nile Basin Capacity Building Network Foundation does

The Nile Basin Capacity Building Network Foundation (NBCBN) is a non-profit regional capacity-building organization headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, and legally registered under Egyptian Civil Society Law No. 149 of 2019. Originally established in 2000 and launched in 2002 through cooperation between the Government of the Netherlands (IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education) and the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, NBCBN serves water professionals, researchers, and MSc students across the Nile Basin countries spanning Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

NBCBN's core platform is a web-based Regional E-Learning Hub developed in collaboration with IHE-Delft, Makerere University, Egerton University, and Ain Shams University, hosting online training modules on wetlands ecosystems, economic valuation, gender integration, and water scarcity. The foundation also administers the Nile Student Exchange M.Sc. Programme (3-month research visits at partner universities), the Nile Academic Exchange Programme (NAEP), and seed research funding of €15,000–20,000 per project for nine-month case studies. Research programmes include the Nile Eco-VWU regional project (30+ researchers, four case studies on ecosystem valuation), the Water Scarcity Research Theme (three case studies across seven countries), and the Open Water Diplomacy Lab. NBCBN also publishes the Nile Water Science & Engineering Journal.

The organization operates entirely on donor funding with no commercial revenue — primary funders include IHE-Delft, the Egyptian MWRI, CGIAR-WLE, the Netherlands Embassy in Egypt, and the DUPC2 programme. Distribution is direct via the website and e-learning hub for self-serve training access, complemented by in-person workshops and training courses at partner universities, and active participation in regional events such as Cairo Water Week, Africa Water Week, and the Arab Water Forum. The network connects over 100 linked organizations and engages an active member base across all major Nile Basin countries.

Name

Nile Basin Capacity Building Network Foundation

Legal name

Nile Basin Capacity Building Network Foundation

Website

https://nbcbn.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Nile Basin Capacity Building Network Foundation is a Cairo-based non-profit that builds regional water management capacity across Nile Basin countries through e-learning, MSc student exchange, research funding, and training courses for water professionals and researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resources Capacity Building Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional Capacity Building & Training (Workforce/Systems Strengthening) (BPADAEAC), Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO), Higher Education Capacity Building & Scholarships (BPADAKAG)

Keywords

• Water resources management
• Capacity building
• Transboundary water governance
• Professional training services
• Watershed research programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cairo

HQ country

Egypt

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Donor Support: NBCBN operates primarily as a donor-funded foundation. Initial funding came from the Government of the Netherlands (through IHE-Delft) and the Egyptian Government (Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation). Additional funding has been received from CGIAR-WLE program, Netherlands Embassy in Egypt, and DUPC2 programme at IHE-Delft. The foundation transitioned to a registered legal entity (under Egyptian Civil Society Law No. 149 of 2019) to receive and manage such funds.
2. Research Seed Funding Administration: NBCBN issues calls for short-term research proposals and distributes seed funding (15,000–20,000 Euros per project) to universities and research institutions in the Nile Basin. Funding is administered through NBCBN's project management and scientific advisory board evaluation process.
3. Student Exchange Programme Administration: NBCBN coordinates and funds the Nile Student Exchange M.Sc. Programme, providing financial support covering international travel, living expenses (DSA-based), accommodation, and limited fieldwork costs for MSc students visiting partner universities in the Nile Basin.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Nile Basin Capacity Building Network Foundation is a Cairo-based non-profit foundation that builds capacity of water professionals across the Nile Basin through an e-learning platform, MSc student exchange programs, collaborative research grants (15,000-20,000 Euros per project), regional training courses, workshops, and webinars. It also operates the Nile Water Science & Engineering Journal and a network of 100+ linked organizations across 10 Nile Basin countries. All offerings are provided at no cost to eligible participants, funded by donor grants from the Government of the Netherlands, Egyptian Government, CGIAR-WLE, Netherlands Embassy in Egypt, and DUPC2 programme.

Product overview

NBCBN Foundation offers a network-centric platform for capacity building of water professionals in the Nile basin. The core offering consists of the E-Learning Hub as the primary digital platform for online training and education, complemented by student exchange programmes (Nile Student Exchange M.Sc. Programme and Nile Academic Exchange Programme), research programmes (Water Scarcity Research Theme, Nile Eco-VWU, Open Water Diplomacy Lab), and regional training courses. The foundation also provides workshops, reports/publications, and operates the Nile Water Science & Engineering Journal. These products and services work together to build regional capacity in water resources management through collaborative research, knowledge sharing, and professional development across Nile basin countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• E-Learning Hub Central web platform for all online training and education services, hosting modules on wetlands ecosystems, economic valuation, gender integration, and other water management topics. Developed collaboratively with IHE-Delft, Makerere University, Egerton University, and Ain Shams University under the Regional Nile E-Learning Hub Project and integrates GIS, remote sensing, and modelling tools. Targeted at water professionals, researchers, and students across the Nile Basin.
• Nile Student Exchange M.Sc. Programme Academic exchange programme supporting MSc students from Nile Basin universities to conduct 3-month thesis research visits at partner institutions in other Nile Basin countries. Travel, accommodation, and living expenses are covered by NBCBN funding. Targeted at enrolled MSc students in water-related disciplines at Nile Basin universities.
• Nile Academic Exchange Programme (NAEP) Programme facilitating academic exchange and collaboration among students and researchers in the Nile Basin region, with applications submitted online via the dedicated NAEP website.
• Water Scarcity Research Theme Research programme involving three case studies on climate variability impacts on rain-fed agriculture (Kagera River Sub-basin), transboundary water resources management (Tekeze/Atbara River), and GIS/remote sensing integration for overcoming water shortage in irrigation networks. Targeted at universities and research institutions in the Nile Basin.
• Nile Eco-VWU Regional Research Project Regional research project (2014-2016) on Nile Ecosystems Valuation for wise use, involving over 30 researchers and four case studies on wetlands ecosystems economic valuation, integrating GIS, remote sensing, and modelling tools.
• Open Water Diplomacy Lab Research Project Research project (2016-2019) focusing on water diplomacy and the role of media in water debates and negotiations, funded by the DUPC2 programme at IHE-Delft.
• Regional Training Courses Portfolio of in-person and online training courses covering climate change adaptation, integrated flood management, river modelling, wetlands ecosystems management, and water scarcity in the Nile Basin. Targeted at water professionals and researchers across the region.
• Nile Wetlands Ecosystems Wise-Use Training Course Six-week online training course (February-March 2022) on wetlands ecosystems valuation, assessment methods, economic valuation tools, and gender mainstreaming. Targeted at water professionals and researchers in the Nile Basin.
• Regional Training Course on Addressing Water Scarcity Five-day in-person training course (November-December 2023) in Nairobi, Kenya, on water scarcity challenges, climate change impacts, data sources, tools, and drought risk management in the Nile Basin. Targeted at water professionals and researchers.
• Workshops and Webinars Various workshops and webinars including Youth in Water Diplomacy, Water Scarcity Research Project kickoff, Journalists Training, and Cairo Water Week sessions. Targeted at water professionals, researchers, students, and journalists across the Nile Basin.
• Reports and Publications Library of local research reports from Burundi, D.R. Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda; Phase 1 and Phase 2 reports covering integrated flood management, hydropower, and local studies. Targeted at water professionals, researchers, and policymakers.
• Nile Water Science & Engineering Journal Peer-reviewed academic journal for publishing research articles on Nile Basin water and engineering topics. Designated publication platform for articles from NBCBN-funded projects and MSc student exchange research.
• Short-Term Research Proposals Programme Seed funding programme offering 15,000-20,000 Euros for short-term research case studies (9-month duration) on water resources management under climate change in transboundary river basins. Targeted at universities and research institutions in the Nile Basin.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 researchers from the Nile Basin involved in the Nile Eco-VWU project with four regional case studies on wetlands ecosystems
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Wageningen UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2021NBCBN-Foundation collaborates with Wageningen University and IHE-Delft on scientific exchange on water management and governance between universities, staff, and students in the Nile Basin. This project contributes to effective transboundary water governance by strengthening and sustaining networks of academics through a structural long-term regional exchange program for MSc students. The project is funded by the Netherlands Embassy in Egypt.
• Makerere University (Uganda)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2021Makerere University is a key regional partner in the Nile Basin, collaborating on the Regional Nile E-Learning Hub Project and the Nile Eco-VWU Regional Research Project. The university hosted the regional kickoff workshop for water scarcity research in February 2018 and jointly organized the online training course on Nile Wetlands Ecosystems.
• Egerton University (Kenya)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2021Egerton University is a regional partner in the Nile E-Learning Hub Project and has contributed to e-learning program development (Distance Education advances in E-Learning Water Programmes). The university collaborated on the online wetlands management training course.
• Ain Shams University (Egypt)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2021Ain Shams University (Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Environmental Studies and Research) participates in the Regional Nile E-Learning Hub Project and the Nile Eco-VWU research project, contributing expertise in environmental studies and water resources management.
• Government of the Netherlands / IHE-DelftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002NBCBN was established through cooperation between the Government of the Netherlands (represented by IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education) and the Egyptian Government (Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation). IHE-Delft has been the primary institutional partner since the network's founding in 2000 and official launch in 2002. This partnership established the network's initial structure, governance, and funding framework.
• Cap-Net UNDPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCap-Net UNDP is an international capacity building network for integrated water resources management. NBCBN collaborates with Cap-Net on the e-learning hub and training courses, with Cap-Net Virtual Campus serving as an innovative virtual capacity development platform supporting NBCBN's programs.
• UNESCO-IHEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO-IHE (now IHE-Delft) has been a founding and ongoing strategic partner of NBCBN since 2000. It contributed to the Nile Eco-VWU project and the Water Diplomacy Lab project, providing academic and research expertise in water resources management.
• Water Youth NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBCBN developed a new partnership with the Water Youth Network (WYN) to support young water professionals in activities of water diplomacy and leadership. The collaboration began with the International Workshop on Youth in Water Diplomacy in Cairo, Egypt in June 2019, involving participants from Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Canada.
• SciDev.NetmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSciDev.Net (Science and Development Network) is an international partner that bridges science and society. NBCBN collaborated with SciDev.Net on the Water Diplomacy Lab project, focusing on the role of media and their interaction with science and politics to contribute to water debates and negotiations.
• Szent István University (Hungary)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSzent István University (SZIU) participated in the Nile Eco-VWU Regional Research project, contributing to the development and testing of integrated tools for ecosystem services economic valuation within the Nile Basin.
• Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner of NBCBN representing Ethiopia, one of the upstream Nile Basin countries.
• Université du Burundi (Burundi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner of NBCBN representing Burundi, contributing to the water scarcity research theme with involvement in the Kagera River Sub-basin case study.
• Dar Es Salaam University (Tanzania)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner. Dar es Salaam University is the project lead for the Kagera River Sub-basin case study under the Water Scarcity Research Theme, involving partner countries Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.
• University of Juba (South Sudan)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner of NBCBN representing South Sudan, involved in the Tekeze/Atbara River research case study.
• Université de Kinshasa (DRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner of NBCBN representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• University of Nairobi (Kenya)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner of NBCBN representing Kenya, hosting the regional training course on addressing water scarcity in November 2023.
• University of RwandaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner of NBCBN representing Rwanda.
• UNESCOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO is listed as a regional partner, with the UNESCO Chair for Water Resources in Sudan having collaborated on multiple NBCBN research projects including the Nile Eco-VWU and Water Scarcity Research Theme.
• WaterCapminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterCap participated in the Nile Eco-VWU Regional Research project, contributing to water capacity building activities in the Nile Basin.
• Cairo University (Egypt)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a local partner of NBCBN in Egypt.
• Hydraulics Research Institute (Egypt)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hydraulics Research Institute (HRI-Egypt) is a local partner and key technical collaborator. HRI leads the Integrating GIS, Remote Sensing, and Modelling research project for overcoming water shortage in irrigation networks, in partnership with Sudan and South Sudan.
• Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente (Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerITC of the University of Twente participated in the Nile Eco-VWU Regional Research project, contributing expertise in earth observation and geo-information science for ecosystem services assessment in the Nile Basin.
• Swedish International Water Institute (SIWI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBCBN collaborated with SIWI and MWRI-Egypt to organize a workshop and study tour for journalists from Eastern Nile Basin countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan) in Alexandria, Egypt in May 2018.
• Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Egypt (MWRI-Egypt)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMWRI-Egypt is a founding institutional partner and co-founder of NBCBN alongside the Dutch government. It collaborated with NBCBN and SIWI on the journalists training workshop and hosts Cairo Water Week events in which NBCBN participates.
• Nile Water Science & Engineering JournalmajorOthersThe Nile Water Science & Engineering Journal (nilebasin-journal.com) is the designated publication platform for research articles developed from NBCBN-funded projects and student exchange research. MSc students are required to develop a research article for the journal upon completing their exchange.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Water Management Institute (IWMI): CGIAR-affiliated international research organization focused on water management in developing countries. Operates in the same water research and capacity-building space as NBCBN with significantly larger scale and a broader geographic remit.
• IHE Delft Institute for Water Education: Founding institutional partner of NBCBN and a leading international water education institution. Operates overlapping capacity building, research, and training programs at greater scale and with broader geographic reach.
• Global Water Partnership: Global network for integrated water resources management with similar capacity-building and multi-stakeholder convening functions, but at global scale and with broader geographic coverage than NBCBN's Nile Basin focus.
• CGIAR Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE): CGIAR research program that funded NBCBN's Nile Eco-VWU project. Operates a much larger portfolio of integrated water-land-ecosystems research in developing countries, including the Nile Basin, and shares NBCBN's research-to-capacity-building approach.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ): German development agency operating large-scale water sector capacity building and transboundary water management programs across Africa, including Nile-adjacent contexts. A broader incumbent in the same capacity-building space.

Direct peers

• Wetlands International: Global NGO focused on wetlands conservation and wise use. Directly comparable to NBCBN's Wetlands Ecosystems training modules and Nile Eco-VWU research, with overlapping research and capacity building methodologies.
• Deltares: Dutch applied research institute for water and subsurface, listed as an international partner of NBCBN. Comparable as a technical collaborator providing expertise in water modelling, coastal zones, and deltas relevant to NBCBN's research themes.
• Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI): International water institute focused on water governance, capacity building, and convening. Listed as an NBCBN partner (joint journalists training workshop, 2018), with directly comparable programmatic focus on water diplomacy and professional training.
• Cap-Net UNDP: International capacity building network for integrated water resources management. Directly comparable as a multi-country capacity building network with similar mandate, and an existing listed partner of NBCBN (Cap-Net Virtual Campus supports NBCBN's e-learning programs).
• Wageningen University & Research: Strategic partner on NBCBN's scientific exchange programme and a major European water research institution. Comparable as a research-led partner delivering joint water management training and research outputs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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