The Federal Government has announced plans to construct the Datsin Hausa Dam in Adamawa State as a strategic measure to control the recurring floods caused by the release of water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, disclosed this during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja.

“We are very concerned about this dam because the release from another dam Lagdo affects the entire country,” Utsev said.
“We have completed the study and design, and once constructed, it will act as a buffer dam to curtail excess water from the Lagdo Dam.”

The government is currently procuring a transaction advisor to begin the dam’s construction phase.

Beyond its flood-control purpose, the Datsin Hausa Dam is expected to serve multiple roles including irrigation, potable water supply, and hydropower generation.
“We have vast land in the area that can be irrigated using this dam. It will also contribute to our national water supply and hydropower capacity,” the minister added.

Utsev also revealed that the Federal Government has approved funding for the reconstruction of Alau Dam in Borno State, which was recently damaged, resulting in loss of lives and property.

The Datsin Hausa project forms part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to enhance climate resilience and reduce the impact of cross-border water releases, particularly from Cameroon.