President Tinubu approves N80 billion for expansion of Alau Dam in Borno State 

The decision was announced by Joseph Utsev, the minister of water resources, following a Federal Executive Council meeting on Tuesday.

Utsev, who also chairs an inter-ministerial committee on dams, said the funding would support much-needed rehabilitation efforts at the site, pending final approval from the council.

The committee, established in September 2024, includes ministers from finance, environment, works, and information, as well as the National Security Adviser.

It was tasked with evaluating dams nationwide and recommending improvements to enhance their efficiency and resilience.

So far, the committee has assessed 35 dams across the country, including Alau, which was severely affected by flooding in September.

“The interim report was presented to the Federal Executive Council today, 

 “The Alau Dam is particularly critical, given the challenges posed by last year’s floods,” Utsev said. 

The first phase of the expansion is slated for completion by July, with operations set to begin in December.

The entire expansion is expected to take 24 months, during which additional reinforcements will be made to the dam’s structure to improve its resilience against future flooding.

Last year, Naijaonpoint reported the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund, under which the federal government allocated over N350 billion last year for dam development and irrigation expansion nationwide.

The panel includes representatives from the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, and the Council of Dams Experts in Nigeria.