Nigerian government prepares Kiri Dam for power generation

The Nigerian Federal Government is making preparations to utilize the Kiri Dam in Adamawa State for electricity generation.

The dam, located in Shelleng, currently serves as a water reservoir for irrigation purposes at the Dangote Sugar Refinery in Numan.

However, the government is now taking steps to retrofit the dam to enable it to generate electricity as part of efforts to expand the country’s sources of power for economic development.

During a facility tour of the dam to assess its condition, the Director of Dams and Reservoir Operations at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Ali Dalla, confirmed that the government has initiated retrofitting activities to update the dam for power generation.

Dalla expressed confidence in the dam’s integrity, noting that despite being over 40 years old, it is still in good condition.

The government’s visit to the Kiri Dam is part of ongoing inspections of dams across Nigeria to ensure their safety and prevent incidents like the recent flood at the Alau Dam in Borno State.

Dalla emphasized that verifying the integrity of a dam involves not only physical inspections but also internal assessments using various parameters.

While the internal examination of the dam is yet to be conducted, Dalla stated that based on the physical inspections carried out so far, the Kiri Dam is in good shape and suitable for electricity generation.