The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, has reaffirmed that the Federal Government’s reconstruction and upgrade of the Alau Dam in Borno State is on track and will deliver long-term solutions to flooding, water scarcity, and agricultural needs in the region.
Prof. Utsev gave the assurance on 7 August 2025 during a working visit to the dam site in Maiduguri, leading a high-powered delegation from the ministry to inspect the ongoing works.
Speaking to journalists, the minister said the first phase of the project, focused on flood mitigation, began in March 2025 and will be completed in September 2025. The second phase, which will deliver a full-scale upgrade of the dam, is set to begin in October 2025 and conclude by March 2027.
He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, approved the reconstruction and upgrade of the dam to transform it into a multipurpose facility for drinking water supply, irrigation, and potential hydro-power generation.
“This intervention is critical, not just to prevent another disaster, but to reposition this dam as a multipurpose facility,” Utsev said. He recalled the September 2024 dam incident, which caused devastating flooding, loss of lives, and destruction of infrastructure worth billions of naira, stressing that the new works will ensure such a tragedy does not happen again.
During the inspection, the minister toured the main gated spillway and the cofferdam, where contractors are reinforcing the structure. He assured that water levels remain under control and commended the contractor for executing the project to specification and schedule.
He directed adjustments to the dam gates to allow controlled water flow during the rainy season and urged the Borno State Government to step up sensitisation efforts to discourage farming along the dam’s embankment, warning that such activities could compromise the safety and structural integrity of the facility.
Prof. Utsev thanked President Tinubu for his unwavering support and Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for his commitment to the people of Borno, adding that the completed project would be a “game-changer” for water security and agriculture in the state.
The minister also visited River Ngada Bridge, which is hydrologically linked to the Alau Dam, to assess broader water management needs.
The inspection team included the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah; Director of Dams and Reservoirs, Engr. Ali Dallah; Director of River Basin Operations and Inspectorate, Engr. Christy Oduh; and other senior ministry officials, alongside Borno State’s Commissioner for Water Resources, Engr. Tijani Alkali.
The visit ended with a courtesy call on Governor Zulum at the Government House, Maiduguri, where the minister briefed him on the progress of the project.
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