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Claim: Multiple Facebook users claimed that Cameroon’s recently opened Lagdo Dam caused severe flooding in parts of Nigeria.
Verdict: False! Findings reveal that the major Lagdo Dam release, which partly contributed to flooding in Nigeria, occurred in 2022, not recently. The Nigerian government has dismissed claims of a recent Lagdo Dam release, confirming that the water level remains low and no release has occurred. Additionally, reports and analyses indicate that the footage attached to the claim is of Nigeria’s Kainji Dam, not the Lagdo Dam.
Full Text
Flooding is common during Nigeria’s rainy season. Recent devastating floods have affected some parts of the country, mainly between May and July 2025.
While Nigeria is still bracing for the impact of flooding, caused chiefly by climate change-related heavy rainfall, the Federal Government has issued warnings against potential flooding in 38 locations across 11 states. The FG said heavy rain may trigger this flooding in July 2025.
Amidst the environmental issue confronting the country, a Facebook user, Ifite Christain posted a claim on July 8, 2025, that Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam was released because Nigeria failed to create mitigation measures, leading to the severe flooding witnessed in some parts of the country in recent days.
The post’s caption reads: “Cameroon’s Lagdo dam was eventually opened after Nigeria allegedly failed, as agreed, to create mitigation measures long ahead. Due to the failure, severe flooding was witnessed in some parts of the country in the recent days, according to #Leadership #Proactiveness #Humanity #Nigeria #ifitechristain (sic).”
The claim was shared by other Facebook users here, here, here, here, and here.
DUBAWA decided to fact-check this claim due to its virality and the potential harm of misinformation on bilateral and international cooperation.
Verification
We conducted a keyword search on Google, revealing that the claim had gone viral in October 2022. We found them here, here, and here.
Reports revealed that the major Lagdo Dam release that partly contributed to devastating flooding in Nigeria, especially across states along the River Niger and River Benue, occurred in 2022, after Cameroon released water from its dam in September 2022.
Meanwhile, the then Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, announced that 80 per cent of the 2022 flooding in Nigeria was due to rainfall, not the Lagdo release. We also found the report on TVC News.
No credible news media sources in Nigeria reported a new Lagdo Dam release connected to the current floods in July 2025.
We subjected a keyframe from the footage attached to the claim to a Google reverse image search. The results revealed that the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) shared the exact footage on Sept. 18, 2022, on its official Facebook page with a caption unrelated to Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam.
NIHSA, in the post, tagged some notable agencies and credible media organisations in Nigeria, while alerting some locations in the country to relocate due to the Kainji and Jebba Dams spilling.
The post reads in part, “#flood #flooding #nihsa_ng Residents of Tasaragi, Lafiaji Patigie, and Shonga axis up to Lokoja are advised to relocate. Farmers around these axes, as well, should quickly harvest their farm produce to avoid losses, as Kainji and Jebba Dams are spilling. (sic)”
Neptune Prime also reported a video featuring the former Director-General of Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Ahmed Inga, stating that the Nigerian Hydrological Services released thousands of gallons of water per minute, which could lead to the overflow of the River Niger from the Kainji and Jebba hydro dams located in Niger State.
Other Facebook posts here and here addressed the footage as the Kainji Dam.
We closely examined the video claimed to be the Lagdo Dam. The analysis shows that the vertical top view of the Dam is similar to that of the Kainji Dam, unlike the curved top view of the Lagdo Dam.
Failed mitigation measure claim
News reports confirmed that Nigeria has not completed the construction of its Dasin Hausa Dam to date under the original bilateral agreement between the two countries. This Dam is expected to serve as a buffer against Lagdo Dam’s release and future flooding.
The Dasin Hausa Dam has remained stalled for over 40 years. However, the Nigerian government reiterated its commitment to fast-tracking the project in March 2025. The reports can also be found here, here, and here.
FG dismisses Lagdo Dam release claim
According to news reports, the Federal Government of Nigeria recently dismissed rumours that water has been released from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. The FG described these rumours as false and misleading.
The Guardian report revealed that the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, confirmed that the Cameroonian authorities have not opened their dam.
He reportedly confirmed this in a direct conversation with the Cameroon dam manager, Ahmad Bivoung, on July 7, 2025. Ahmad revealed that the water level remains low at 2.06 meters, and no release has occurred recently. This report can also be found here and here.
Conclusion
The claim that Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam was recently opened, causing severe flooding in Nigeria, is false. Lagdo Dam releases linked to Nigeria’s flooding occurred last in 2022. There has been no recent dam release from Cameroon. The footage attached to the claim shows Nigeria’s Kainji Dam, not Lagdo Dam.
