Kainji Dam

Kainji Dam
Map of Nigeria showing the location of Kainji Dam.
LocationKainji, Niger, Nigeria
Coordinates09°51′45″N 04°36′48″E / 9.86250°N 4.61333°E / 9.86250; 4.61333
Construction began1964
Opening date1968
Construction costUS$209 million
Owner(s)Federal Government of Nigeria
Operator(s)Mainstream Energy
Dam and spillways
ImpoundsNiger River
Height65 m (213 ft)
Length550 m (1,804 ft)
Reservoir
CreatesKainji Lake
Power Station
Commission date1968
Turbines8
Installed capacity760 megawatts (1,020,000 hp)
960 megawatts (1,290,000 hp) (max)

Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. Construction of the dam by Impregilo (a consortium of Italian civil engineering contractors) began in 1964 and was completed in 1968. Its total cost was estimated at US$209 million (equivalent to about US$1.5 billion in 2023 dollars), with one-quarter of this amount used to resettle people displaced by the construction of the dam and its reservoir, the Kainji Lake.