Hadeja–Jama’are River Basin Authority Revives 40-Year-Old Dam Project in Bauchi

The Hadeja–Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, under the leadership of its Managing Director, Engr. Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi, has taken decisive steps to resume construction of a major dam project located in Kafin Zaki.

The project, which has remained abandoned for over 40 years, was originally initiated during the military administration of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

Despite its strategic importance, work on the dam was halted shortly after it began, leaving the project in limbo for decades.

The renewed effort follows a directive from the Governor of Bauchi State, Dr. Bala Mohammed (popularly known as Kauran Bauchi), who urged the Authority to revive the long-abandoned project.

The governor made this call during an early visit by the management of the agency, where he immediately constituted a high-powered committee comprising representatives from both the state government and the River Basin Authority to facilitate the project’s resumption.

In a significant move, the Managing Director personally visited the project site to assess the current situation and officially kick-start the reconstruction process, signaling the government’s renewed commitment to completing the dam.

Findings revealed that at the inception of the project four decades ago, compensation had already been paid to all affected farmers and landowners within the project area.

However, due to the prolonged abandonment, many people gradually returned to the site, resuming farming activities and engaging in land transactions.

Over time, settlements, markets, and other forms of development sprang up in the area, leading to complex ownership and occupancy issues.

With the government now reclaiming the land for the dam project, efforts are underway to relocate residents and provide alternative settlements for those affected. Officials say the process will be handled with care to minimize disruptions and ensure fairness.

Members of the committee set up by the governor, who addressed stakeholders during a visit to the site on April 2, 2026, emphasized the economic and environmental significance of the dam, noting that its completion would boost irrigation, enhance water supply, and support agricultural development across the region.

The revival of the Kafin Zaki Dam project is widely seen as a major step toward unlocking the agricultural potential of Bauchi State and surrounding areas, while also addressing longstanding water management challenges in northeastern Nigeria.