The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved N80 billion for the reconstruction and expansion of the Alau Dam in Borno State on Tuesday. This approval followed an assessment of the integrity of 35 dams across Nigeria after the Alau Dam collapsed last September. Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, shared this update with journalists after the 23rd FEC meeting, which was presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Utsev explained that the N80bn approval was a result of the assessment carried out on the Alau Dam and 34 other dams across the country. The Alau Dam collapse in September 2024, triggered by heavy rains overwhelming weakened sections of the dam, caused severe flooding in Maiduguri, Borno’s capital. The floods affected over 23,000 households, submerging key locations such as the Shehu of Borno’s palace, the state secretariat, and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. In total, the 2024 floods led to 321 deaths, 20,845 injuries, and the displacement of over 1.3 million people across 34 states, while also devastating 250,800 hectares of farmland.
Following the September floods, the Federal Government set up a technical committee to reassess the condition of the Alau Dam and other similar structures nationwide. This committee included representatives from multiple ministries, including Finance, Works and Housing, Budget and Economic Planning, National Security, and Information. The committee’s mandate was to deliver a comprehensive report and design recommendations for the dam’s reconstruction, with a focus on flood control, water supply, irrigation, and other uses.
On Tuesday, Utsev presented an interim report on the assessment of 35 dams. He noted that the Alau Dam was of particular concern after the September flooding. The committee has already completed the designs and analysis for the dam, and President Tinubu granted approval for the N80bn reconstruction project, which is set to be executed by Effect International Limited.
The Borno State Government is collaborating with the technical subcommittee and the Office of the National Security Adviser to fast-track the project, aiming to complete the first phase by July 2024. This first phase is expected to prevent further flooding in Maiduguri, with additional components, including desilting, set to begin by December. The entire project is expected to take 24 months to finish.
Utsev confirmed that the broader review of other dams was ongoing, with additional reports to be shared with the Federal Executive Council and the public. While the N80bn approval for the Alau Dam reconstruction is still pending ratification by the Federal Executive Council, it is expected to move forward after all necessary due diligence is completed.
Tuesday’s FEC meeting also considered 101 memos in two sittings.
