ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the political and governance contexts for dam development in Nigeria and the impact of the Zamfara Dam failure on the local communities. There are two contending issues that are critical in understanding the political and governance contexts for dam development in Nigeria from the political economy perspective. First, development projects such as the construction of dams are underpinned by a complex interplay between multiple stakeholders who have conflicting and competing interests and incentives. Second, development outcomes are shaped by the interface between formal and informal institutions. The dominant actors in the Zamfara Dam Project included the Zamfara State government, the China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGC) as the construction and management firm and the Exim Bank of China. The problems with hydropower dam development in Nigeria are symptoms of poor and uncoordinated management. Over the years, therefore, the construction of large dams has been with the assistance, both financial and technical, of foreign countries and their agents.