Federal Ministry of Works

Jun

2026

LATEST PRESS

CEMENT MANUFACTURERS MUST REDUCE PRICES, TINUBU IS RETAKING NIGERIA — UMAHI

The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, has called on cement manufacturers across the country to immediately reduce the price of cement, insisting that the current cost of the product is placing pressure on ongoing infrastructure projects and increasing demands for contract variations.

Umahi made the call while delivering keynote address at the official unveiling of the new corporate identity of Lafarge, now rebranded as HBM, a member of the HUAXIN Group, held at the Lagos Continental Hotel on June 21, 2026.

Speaking before industry leaders, investors, and stakeholders, the Minister emphasized that the Federal Government would engage cement manufacturers from July 1 to address the issue of cement prices. “I want to insist that Lafarge now HBM and other manufacturers of cement should reduce their prices,” Umahi declared.

“We shall be engaging on this from First of July. Manufacturer of Cement must reduce their prices because the contractors are chocking me to review their contracts. But nobody is reviewing anybody’s contract. It’s the manufacturers of cement that should review their cost.”

The Minister noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is investing heavily in critical infrastructure across the country, creating unprecedented opportunities for manufacturers and investors. He urged HBM and other industry players to expand their capacity to meet the growing demands of the nation’s infrastructure revolution.

Commending the company on its transition and renewed commitment to the Nigerian market, Umahi assured the management of government support and partnership. “I commend you very highly and I say welcome onboard and we are going to work together. The market is smaller than what the president is doing. So, enlarge your coast,” he said.

The Minister used the occasion to highlight the remarkable progress being recorded under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in the area of infrastructure development. He pointed to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as one of the evidences of the administration’s bold vision and commitment to national transformation.

According to him, the quality and scale of the project have continued to attract global attention and admiration. “When the Dudge Bank came to evaluate our project, they said it was undervalued and that the project is of topmost quality. Today, Our neighboring nations are coming to steal the technology of the coastal highway.”

Umahi expressed profound appreciation to President Tinubu for providing the leadership and political will driving the country’s infrastructure renaissance, assuring Nigerians that the administration remains firmly on course to restore national prosperity. “I want to use this opportunity to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and I commit that Mr. President is committed to retake this country. The President knows what he is doing. The vision and mission are achievable and we are on course and this country will be taken back for the good of Nigerians.”

Aug

2023

FG Reaffirms Commitment to completing Abuja/Kaduna Road. The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi (CON) has reassured the people of the North and Nigerians of the commitment of the FG to the completion of the Abuja –Kaduna dual carriageway by 2024. Umahi disclosed this while speaking to journalists during the inspection of the highway as directed by Mr. President who, according to him, is so passionate about the completion of the road as it will alleviate the suffering and travel time of commuters plying the road. The Minister added that the road is very important to Mr. President and he is committed to finishing it by 2024, adding that he will match his words with action. Umahi said, "Mr. President is passionate and concerned about finishing this road and many other Federal roads across the Nation and my inspection as directed is to get first-hand information and examine the challenges involved in the construction of the road and other roads to be visited soon”. The section 1 of the highway which is 165.5km is part of the 375.4-kilometer Abuja-Kaduna –Zaria-Kano project awarded to Messrs. Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. in 2018 by the previous administration but is yet to be complete like other sections of the road due to insecurity and criminal activities. The Minister who decried any form of wastage of funds or delay during construction work stressed that there should be a meaningful reason for any change in the approved design of a project to take place. “Speaking further, he said, "I have observed that there is an issue with the design, I'm directing the Director of Geo-Technics Material and Quality Control of the Ministry of Works, he must come and run figures with me with the project Consultant". "They have to prove to me that the CPR of the sub upgrade now is more than the CPR of the existing sub grade. I don’t believe in it and if that is not the case there shouldn’t be any need to disturb the existing sub grade, we should actually build our pavement on the existing sub grade. We want to see how we can cut down cost". Umahi emphasized the need to quicken the approval process of payments for contractors and not make contractors go to site when payments have not been made to them. “Again, I have asked the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, (NSIA), to run me figures, let me know how much money they want to give in every month for this project because there is a limit you can push the contractor if you don’t have funding for him". " If you generate certificate and you cannot pay him, you can’t do more, so we are trying to look at it and if we get the figures, we will be able to insist that the contractor should start this road constructions on a number of sections", he further said. The Minister who acknowledged the central role of security in the progress of any nation has assured Nigerians that this administration will do everything within available means to provide security for lives and properties on the roads. He promised that efforts will be made to provide solar light on the completed sections of the road for the safety of road users and its environs if the contingency funds are available. The Minister encouraged the use of concrete road pavement as an alternative to the use of asphalt in road construction describing it as durable and cheaper. He urged citizens to take responsibility for FG projects in their states by protecting them rather than looting and vandalizing them as government cannot protect them. The Director Highway Construction and Rehabilitation, Engr. Folorunsho Esan and the Director Highway North Central Engr. Bola Aganaba, all promised to monitor closely from now on the progress of work going on the road and also to meet with the deadline. Responding, the Project Manager Messrs. Julius Berger Nigeria Ltd, represented by Engr. Dwadowki Finn, he expressed his gratitude to the Minister for his visit and encouragement. He stated that the project is their major project in the country and will continue to do their best to maintain the standard and deliver the project at the scheduled time. The Minister was accompanied on the inspection by Senators Lawal Usman representative Kaduna Central and Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, representing Ebonyi North. The Federal Controller of Works in Kaduna State, Engr. Ibrahim Mmadu and Eng. Usman Yakubu were also in the entourage. The Minister also before leaving Kaduna state paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Kaduna state who was represented by the Deputy Governor of the state. ...

Aug

2023

"Open Your Mind I Am Here To Help", Umahi Assures Contractors The Honourable Minister of Works Engr David Nweze Umahi CON has assured contractors working with the Ministry that there is no cause for worry as long as they deliver on their projects. He gave this assurance during a meeting held in the headquarters of the Ministry with Contractors handling projects in the North West geopolitical zone. He said " I will not tamper with your job, i will not tamper with your profit, the stake I want to tamper with is the quality of your job." He reiterated the need to embrace the need for concrete roads and wonder why some contractors are not in support of it despite its great advantage over asphalt in terms of cost and durability. He added that due to the economic situation occasioned by the strength of the naira to the dollar, it is unwise to continue to resist the use of concrete roads and expressed his determination to oppose such resistance. The Minister said, “I am ready for a fight with those who are resisting concrete technology in road building because concrete is cheaper than asphalt and more durable”. Umar also expressed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to improve the social - economic condition of the people through meaningful innovations. “Mr. President has promised Nigerians a positive reform that will Foster development and we need to assist him to succeed”. The Minister disclosed that under his leadership concerted effort will be made to ensure that contractors executed as quickly as possible and the contractors must work with realistic quotation to avoid wastage of funds. Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mahmuda Maman who was represented by the Director Highways Construction and Rehabilitation Engineer Folorunsho Esan in his address told the stakeholders that the meeting was called to discuss ongoing road projects in the North West, he enjoined them to feel free to express their feelings. ...

Aug

2023

Road Infrastructure: Panacea For National Development - Umahi .....Cautions contractors to improve or lose opportunities The Honorable Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi has reiterated the importance of road infrastructure to national development be it in the movement of hospital equipment, school children going to school, and also for commercial activities to thrive. He stated this at his first meeting with contractors handling South West Geo-Political roads in the country held at the Ministry’s conference hall Mabushi, Abuja. The Minister said the Lokoja – Abuja Road is a death trap for commuters as the road that is still on-going is gone bad already because of shabby jobs done by some contractors handling the 200km of the road project describing it as man inhumanity to man. “The Lokoja road I inspected already is a death trap, the road shoulders are gone while the project is still on-going, this is man inhumanity to man and every life lost because of accident or kidnapping, people responsible will account for it on the last day. People should have the fear of God because the fear of God brings good things” he said. Umahi directed all contractors to do things right as agreed and urge them to speak out if there is any challenge encountered or their certificates of contracts awarded in other places will be ceased. “I will not stop people benefiting but let the people breath first, if you have problem in one project, I will cease the certificate of others”. The Minister advised Directors of the Ministry to put in more efforts towards their responsibilities and encouraged them to be visiting project sites because they will not understand what is going on except, they go to site. He added that he will appoint coordinating officers for each geo political zones for things to be moving normal. He noted that no hope can be renewed without a change of mind. ...

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Nov

2025

OTHER NEWS

May

2018

Up Your Game, Zarma Urges Indigenous Contractors

- Osun Government Commends FG on Massive Infrastructure Delivery

Minister of State 11, Power, Works and Housing, Suleiman Hassan Zarma has urged indigenous contractors handling Federal Government projects to “up their game” by improving on their pace of work in order to deliver their projects on schedule.He said Government has much confidence on indigenous contractors and disclosed that the present administration is determined to encourage and promote indigenous contractors.

The Minister who is on inspection of the Ministry’s projects to the South-West Zone, however expressed displeasure at the slow pace of work at the the 27.6Km Oshogbo- Ilesha Road, Section 1 handled by Messers Horizon Construction Limited. He said it was appalling for a 27Km road Rehabilitation project awarded since 2010 to exceed its completion date by 104 per cent in 2018. He asked “if it takes you 8 years to rehabilitate a road, how many years will it take you to build one”.

Zarma challenged the contractor to prove his capacity to deliver the job and stop giving excuses for the delay. He said, ‘government gave you the job with the assurance that you can deliver, you asked for extension after a long delay, your request is not approved, you have to mobilize every resource to meet up the extended October 2018 completion date”.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has been highly commended for the massive execution and monitoring of its infrastructure projects across the nation particularly on roads, housing and power. Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Minister to the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who was represented by his Deputy, Chief (Mrs) Grace Titilayo Tomori, said the Minister’s inspection of on-going projects in the state and across the nation laid credence to the commitment of the present administration to deliver basic infrastructure to the people. She said, “your visit to the state has confirmed the seriousness the federal government attaches to road construction in the state and the nation at large”. She further applauded the Minister for undertaking the tour by road to see things for himself and ensured that the contractors are working.

The deputy governor disclosed that the state was also complimenting the federal government effort by constructing over a 1000km of roads across the state. According to her, the state governor was well known to be a “ constructor of roads”.

Briefing the Minister at the Oshogbo- Ilesha road inspection, the Federal Controller, Works, Engr Omorekpe Njoku said, that the contract was awarded in 2010 at a contract sum of .N2.69b but was later reviewed to N2.88b to accommodate the drainage works on the road. He affirmed that the contractor is indeed slow in delivery on the project.

The Contractor, Messers Horizon Construction however explained that the reason for the prolonged delay in the completion of the project was due to the non budgetary appropriation for the project by past administrations for about three years leading them to stop work at a time. He however commended the present administration for including the project in its appropriation since last year and promised to mobilize fully to meet the completion deadline.