By Abdullahi Lukman
The Federal Government has confirmed that the ongoing ₦80 billion upgrade of the Alau Dam, located near Maiduguri, will be completed by March 2027. The project is aimed at enhancing irrigation, water supply, and future hydro-electric power generation under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, disclosed this during a visit to the project site on Thursday, noting that the dam’s redesign will support multiple purposes beyond its original function of supplying potable water.
The project is divided into two phases. The first phase, aimed at flood mitigation during the rainy season, is expected to be completed by September 2025.
The second phase will begin in October and conclude by March 2027, when the full reconstruction will be finalized.
Utsev praised the commitment of President Tinubu and Governor Babagana Zulum to the project, stressing its importance for regional food production, water access, and long-term energy prospects.
He also appealed to local farmers to stop planting crops along the dam’s embankment and urged residents not to panic over potential flooding during the construction.
Constructed in the 1980s on the Ngadda River, the Alau Dam has been essential for water supply and flood control in Maiduguri.
However, years of neglect and climate pressures have weakened its infrastructure, prompting this comprehensive upgrade to align with Nigeria’s broader goals in agriculture and energy.
