The Federal Executive Council has approved N80 billion for the reconstruction and expansion of Alau Dam in Borno State, following its collapse in September 2024.
The decision comes as part of an ongoing nationwide assessment of dam integrity, covering 35 structures so far.
According to The PUNCH, the minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, disclosed this after the 23rd FEC meeting, presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
“Mr. President graciously gave an approval of N80bn for the reconstruction and expansion of Alau Dam in Borno State,” Utsev announced while briefing journalists.
In September 2024, severe flooding in Maiduguri, Borno State, resulted from the failure of deteriorated sections of Alau Dam following heavy rainfall.
The floods impacted over 23,000 households, submerging critical areas, including the Shehu of Borno’s palace, the state secretariat, post office, and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
The disaster was part of a nationwide flooding crisis last year, which reportedly claimed 321 lives, injured over 20,800 people, and displaced more than 1.3 million residents across 34 states. Additionally, 250,800 hectares of farmlands were either destroyed or severely affected.
In response to the flooding, the Federal Government set up a technical committee on September 23, 2024, to reassess Alau Dam and similar structures.
The committee, chaired by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, included representatives from the Ministries of Finance, Works, Housing, Budget and Economic Planning, the National Security Adviser’s office, and the Minister of Information.
Following months of assessments, the committee submitted an interim report to the FEC, outlining findings on 35 dams.
“The Alau Dam is very critical,” Utsev stated. “We saw some challenges due to flooding on September 10 last year. The designs, analysis, and everything related to the dam were presented to the subcommittee, and the report was submitted to Mr. President, leading to his approval of N80bn for its reconstruction and expansion.”
To ensure thorough evaluation, the committee collaborated with experts from the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, and the Council of Dams Experts in Nigeria.
The contract for the reconstruction of Alau Dam has been awarded to Effect International Limited, with the Borno State Government and the Office of the National Security Adviser working together to expedite the project.
The first phase is expected to be completed by July 2025 to prevent further flooding in Maiduguri.
“Between now and July this year, the first component of that work will be completed so that there will be no flooding in Maiduguri again,” Utsev assured. “The other components, like desilting, will commence by December, and the project is scheduled for completion within 24 months.”
The minister also confirmed that the committee’s broader assessment of the remaining dams is ongoing, with further reports to be submitted to the FEC in due course.
