Federal Ministry of Works

Aug

2026

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“THE WORST IS OVER; OUR GDP IS GROWING MORE THAN OUR POPULATION. THAT MEANS WE HAVE A FUTURE” - UMAHI TELLS NANS

— As Nigerian Students Induct Him as Grand Patron, Hail Him as “One of the Finest” in Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Cabinet

The Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, has declared that Nigeria is now seeing stronger economic outlook under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is now growing faster than its population.

Umahi made the declaration on Monday, August 10, 2026, at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja, while speaking after he was formally inducted as Patron of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

The minister described the development as a positive indication of Nigeria’s economic prospects, saying, “I was enthused to find out that our GDP is growing more than our population. That means we have a future.”

The NANS leadership, led by its President, Dist. Comr. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, GCNS, had earlier commended Umahi for his contributions to national infrastructure and described him as “a worthy member of the Renewed Hope Cabinet and, indeed, as one of the finest public servants Nigeria has produced in the contemporary era.”

The students said the recognition was not merely ceremonial but a reflection of Umahi’s visible contribution to road infrastructure and national development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

According to NANS, the roads and bridges being delivered under Umahi’s supervision are directly connected to the lives of Nigerian students, affecting their mobility, access to educational institutions, examinations, internships, businesses and employment opportunities.

The students specifically cited major projects including the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway, Abuja-Kaduna-Minna route, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as examples of projects they said demonstrate the Federal Government’s commitment to improving national connectivity.

Afeez also disclosed that NANS had studied project reports of the Federal Ministry of Works covering the period between May 2023 and May 2026 and expressed its intention to embark on nationwide project tours to inspect completed and rehabilitated projects.

He said the students would use their platforms to communicate the impact of the projects to millions of Nigerian students, Nigerians and the wider world.

Responding, Umahi challenged Nigerian students and young people to look beyond political sentiments and examine the policies and achievements of the Tinubu administration objectively.

“We have had somebody say, ‘President Tinubu is tired.’ How do you know he is tired? I am part of President Tinubu. The Minister of Interior, the FCT, all the ministers and all the SSAs are vibrant and working. So how do you just jump at that conclusion?”

The minister urged Nigerians to demand concrete alternatives from those criticising the administration.

“If you say that the President is not doing well, what is your alternative?” he asked, stressing that political promises must be backed by clear plans and a credible mission.

He also called on students and other young Nigerians to take a position on issues affecting the country, arguing that remaining neutral in the face of visible progress was not always the right approach.

“You may say that you are not politicians or that you will not take sides, but this is the time to take sides in our national affairs. It is time to take a stand,” Umahi said.

On the economy, the minister acknowledged that the macroeconomy was only beginning to recover but urged Nigerians to consider the condition of the economy before the present administration took office and assess the reforms objectively.

“You may say that the macroeconomy is just beginning to recover. What was it like before the President took over? Everybody agrees that the macroeconomy is being fixed. It is up to you to dissect the ongoing reforms and take a position.”

Umahi also pointed to developments in the education sector, saying the stability being witnessed under the Tinubu administration had created an environment in which students were able to continue their studies without the disruption of nationwide strikes.

“For the first time, students never went on strike. Never. Look at the stability of Nigeria. That has never happened throughout the history of this country.”

“Where is the subsidy money?” Umahi explains

Addressing questions surrounding the removal of fuel subsidy and where the resulting resources were being deployed, Umahi pointed to the scale of ongoing infrastructure projects across the country.

He cited the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road, which he said covers 375 kilometres and, when measured as a dual carriageway, amounts to 750 kilometres.

According to the minister, more than ₦200 billion has already been spent on the project, with 480 kilometres of the dual carriageway completed and further sections nearing completion.

“For the first time, we have been able to complete 118 kilometres of concrete pavement within 30 months. That has never happened,” he said.

The Minister said the remaining works were expected to be completed by November, noting that the two projects on the route have a combined cost of ₦752 billion, with more than 80 percent already paid.

He also highlighted the Sokoto-Zamfara-Zaria corridor, the Benue-Ninth Mile road, and the Bodo - Bonny Island road as examples of projects receiving significant attention under the Tinubu administration.

On the Bonny Island project, he said:

“For the first time, people will move from the island to the mainland in Bonny Island, where the LNG is produced. A project costing ₦280 billion under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been completed. The 39.7-kilometre road is fully done, and the people of Bonny are very happy. They are no longer dying at sea. They are now driving through the land.”

The minister also spoke extensively about the administration’s legacy road projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the expanded Northeast Fourth Legacy Project.

He disclosed that the Northeast project, originally running from Akwanga through Jos, Bauchi, Gombe and Biu, had been extended through Yobe to Maiduguri, adding another 400 kilometres to the project.

Umahi defended the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway against criticisms, saying the project was strategically important to the Niger Delta and would be completed.

“I do not know why people are attacking the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. After all, this is coming from the Niger Delta, where the oil is coming from. Why is nobody attacking the other three Legacy Projects, but this one is being attacked? That is unfair and unrealistic. That project will be completed. In fact, over 50 percent of the entire stretch is already under construction.”

The minister also used the occasion to speak about the development of the Southeast, saying President Tinubu had deliberately embarked on projects aimed at integrating the region into the national infrastructure network.

“The Southeast, for the first time, is being remembered, and I thank the people in the Southeast because sometimes I say, ‘Listen, our people should not be sentimental.’”

He said the administration’s approach to the region was intentional and urged the people of the Southeast to work with other parts of the country.

“The President has a good intention to integrate the people of the Southeast, and I have to be very honest with you. If I were not a minister from the Southeast, we would not have been able to get the projects we have secured. It is intentional on the part of Mr. President. Go and right the wrongs of the Southeast.”

Umahi cited the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway among the major projects transforming connectivity in the region.

He also disclosed that President Tinubu had approved the re-scoping and reconstruction of the Lokoja-Benin-Warri corridor, covering a total of 401 kilometres.

The minister was particularly direct in urging the students to support President Tinubu in the 2027 election, arguing that Nigerians should support the administration if they believe its policies are producing results.

“I want you to take a side. If you say you are on the list of a coalition and you say that what we are doing is good, then we have to take a stand to vote for the President in the coming election.”
“Let him finish. Let him take back our country. Let him reposition our country.”

Umahi also urged Nigerians to look beyond political rhetoric and focus on practical solutions to the country’s challenges.

“Listening to others should not mean allowing yourselves to be insulted or blackmailed. Cheap talk will not solve our problems. Nobody is saying what he or she can do differently. The worst is over. The darkest part of the night is an hour before dawn.”

He pointed to the decline in food prices as one of the developments Nigerians should consider in assessing the economy, recalling that a 50-kilogramme bag of rice, which he said had risen above ₦80,000 and at some point reached ₦100,000, was now selling at about ₦58,000.

Umahi also stressed the administration’s commitment to transparency in the execution of road projects, saying the Ministry of Works had opened its projects to scrutiny by anti-corruption agencies.

“Now, why are we doing this? Transparency. We have turned these projects over to the ICPC. They have gone round. We are ready for constructive criticism, and where necessary, we will make amends.”

He added that the Ministry had also written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to inspect its projects. “We have nothing to hide in this administration.”

The minister urged NANS to organise a major student engagement across the geopolitical zones where students could ask questions directly and hear the government’s explanations on its policies and projects.

“Let me defend this administration. Organise it and let me come. Move students from across the zone to a central point where we can talk to them and address their concerns. We have to deliberate on the issues. We have to debate them. Ask your questions, and we will answer them.”

He said he would attend such engagements with some ministers and Senior Special Assistants to the President, stressing that students were important stakeholders in the country’s future.

Umahi further challenged young Nigerians to take responsibility for protecting public infrastructure and contributing positively to national development. “See something, say something. Together, we can take back our country because it belongs to us.”

He said the responsibility for the performance of government should be placed on the officials directly responsible for specific sectors, rather than on the President for every operational issue.

“I am here because the President gave me the responsibility to be in charge of roads and bridges. If I do not do it, I should be the one to be blamed, not the President. I am not the President. The President has divided himself into a number of his appointees. These appointees should be the ones to answer and take responsibility.”

The minister concluded by thanking the students for the recognition and expressing his readiness to deepen collaboration with NANS.

“I want to thank you very much.“

He described the students as important partners in the national development process and encouraged them to remain informed, ask questions and hold leaders accountable.

The NANS President, in his address, said the association considered Umahi worthy of its patronage because of his record of public service, infrastructure delivery and commitment to national development.

He said the roads being constructed under Umahi’s leadership would outlive the present administration and continue to serve generations of Nigerians.

“History will not remember public officers merely because they occupied important offices. History will remember them for what they built, what they changed and the lives they touched.”

Afeez formally welcomed Umahi into the NANS family as Patron, describing the partnership between the student body and the Federal Ministry of Works as an opportunity to bring government projects closer to young Nigerians and deepen informed national discourse.

Sep

2023

FG To Review All Road Projects with Augmentation - Umahi Minister of Works Sen. (Engr). David Nweze Umahi has made it known that he will review all projects having augmentations. He made this statement while granting an interview with Pressmen during the Inspection tour of the reconstruction of Bende - Ohafia - Arochukwu road section I in Abia State on Thursday September 7, 2023. The Minister explained why he wants to review the projects, though not as proof, but because he wants to have the knowledge why a project is being reviewed. His words " I have directed that all the regional Directors will work with my team of consultants to review all the projects that are having augmentation. It's not a proof but l want to answer many questions about a project for example project awarded in many number of years for say 2 billion is now ten billion l should be able to answer that. " I seek for knowledge to know why projects are being reviewed, whether it will ever have augmentation, l want to unravel the augmentation even though BPP would have approved it. if I feel the augmentation is not necessary, I will bring down the cost. He added. Umahi said that the review of the augmentation is to also help him to answer Mr President, the National Assembly, the Nigerian masses and the Press so he will be able to defend what ever augmentation that arises. While answering questions on whether the success story of his Ebonyi state advocacy on concrete technology being replicated across the country will be supported, he said, that depends on the stability of the road for instance in the Northern part of the country the use of asphalt can be used but not in all situations. " Depending on the stability of the road like in the North we can do asphalt, but that is not to say concrete cannot be used. With asphalt in the Northern part of the country, that will last for ten years, if you use concrete it will last for fifty years". Engr. Umahi expressed happiness with the pace of work in the areas that the contractor is handling. Speaking earlier, the contractor, M/S HARTLAND NIG. LTD. explained that the contract was awarded in 2020 with total number of forty-five kilometer and they could only conclude on 4km of the road. ...

Sep

2023

Umahi To Collaborate with South-East Governors in Road Infrastructural Development of The Region. The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Nweze David Umahi has expressed optimism that collaboration with the South-East Governors will transform the region’s road infrastructural development, thereby bringing an end to the perennial issue of failed roads and none motorable roads in the region. Umahi made this statement when he paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti and his counterpart, the Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mba respectively during his ongoing inspection tours of Federal Road projects in the region. The Minister at each visit listed and narrated all the federal road projects in the state and pleaded for collaboration and synergy to getting the work done which he says will bring development and boost socio-economic and commercial activates in the region. “We have 11 federal road projects ongoing in Abia state and up to ten in Enugu state and all of them are going on well, some are on Tax credit Scheme, while others on MTN sponsorship, some others on Sukuk, they all have funding and the ones on budget we will do something about it to make sure the roads are put in use for our people, get us informed if you notice anything wrong and I suggest the appointment of an SSA on federal roads, this will help to get you informed well on any issue that may delay work” He said. Umahi took time to explain to them FG's new proposal on what it calls Brown Field and Green Field Projects which he noted will bring to an end the issues of dragging for refund on money spent by state government in constructing federal roads in their states, this is rather an easy agreement and transparency incorporated. “You can do federal roads if you want but no refund for now from federal government because there is no money, but I suggest you key in into what we call Green field or Brown Field Road Projects. You construct a new road you toll it get your money and we start to share the profit, or you take up a constructed road, to maintain it, you toll get your money and we share the profit, we can talk more on it” he said. The Minister introduced the use of concrete pavement technology as a better option on road construction in the region considering the soil texture of the region, more so that it’s cheaper, safer and it lasts longer than asphalt without maintenance for a longer time. “It is safer doing it on concrete and it’s cheaper, Asphalt is good, but it will not last long. I believe strongly that if we start using it in the region it will help us because water does not disturb it rather it makes it stronger without much maintenance but it's durable having stayed for long” he said. He pledged his support for states in delivering the dividend of democracy to the citizens and the nation at large saying the federal government came prepared and determined to ensure that a significant milestone is achieved in providing good road network across the nation. He directed the Federal Controllers of Works in the States to always be in close contact with Governors and must brief them on any project to be executed in the state and also to speak up freely if there is any challenge that needs state attention. Also, to check insecurity on the highways, the Minister encouraged the Governors to clear roadsides at least up to fifty (50) meters inside which he said will give a clear vision and feasibility in case of any emergency and can also be used for agricultural crops that doesn’t grow tall. Responding, the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti welcomed the Minister for his visit which he said came right in time as the new government prepares to embark on some road projects in the state and promise to key into rigid pavement technology. He congratulated him on his appointment describing it as a well-deserved appointment considering his antecedents in infrastructural development in Ebonyi State and urged him to replicate same in the South-East and the Nation at large, for the benefit of all. Responding the Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah warmly received the Minister and commended his immediate response to visiting federal road projects in different states across the Nation describing it as desirable. The Governor thanked him for his innovation on the use of concrete pavement which he affirmed was a good idea that is worth keying into and that he too shall introduce and use it as well. ...

Sep

2023

"Fight on turning to Concrete is a continuous one - Umahi Engineer David Umahi, the Minister of Works has said that the fight on turning to the use of Concrete Technology in road construction is a continuous one. The Minister made this statement while on inspection tour of the Rehabilitation of Outstanding Section of Onitsha - Enugu Expressway under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme - Contract no 7629 on September 6, 2023. In an interview with Journalists, he gave reasons for using this concrete technology to be loaded with a whole lot of benefits, as being durable with a life span of over fifty years (50), and that it can stand for these number of years before it will require maintenance more than bitumen imported into the Country that are more of sub-standard which cannot stand the number of expected years, also it's cheaper to build with much local content sourced materials. In his words " I have looked at the cost of bindal cause, the wearing costs on our roads, it is safer doing it on concrete, it's going to be cheaper, Niger Cat are doing it that's why I directed that the right-hand side of the Enugu - Onitsha Expressway be done on concrete". He directed that Enugu Section lll - Port-Harcourt expressway by Messrs. CGC Nig Ltd also that the second carriage way be totally done on concrete, "we are safer on concrete in the South East and that's what we are going to be doing" he added. Umahi frowned at the costing of Ozalla - Isu - Onitsha and additional 3km with bridges to cost fifteen billion naira, he instructed that the work be brought back to be looked at. " I saw the road leading to Ozalla - Isu - Onitsha, I'm very shocked that four bridges and 3km additional road is said to be costing fifteen billion, I believe strongly that there's no other way it will cost us more than three - four billion. He made it known that contractors should stay aside when budget is too expensive and budgeting process is low because it's unhealthy for the contractor. " What I want to do when a budget is too expensive and budgeting process is very low, the contractors can stay aside like what we are witnessing ten to fifteen years, it's not healthy for the contractor, because he is losing money on equipment and maintaining the work". "Ogbulafor - Okalagun roads because it was awarded in 2010, the whole shoulders are gone". Earlier, the contractor while explaining the work, said it will be completed by April 2025 and also that there was no problem of funding. ...

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May

2018

Minister Scores Osun NHP High

Minister of State 11 for Power,Works and Housing, Surv. Suleiman Hassan Zarma has expressed satisfaction over the quality and speed of work at the National Housing Programme (NHP)site located at Abere, Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State and commended the team leader, Arc Mrs Lola Onwubalili and her team for a good supervision and execution of the project.

Speaking after inspecting the project in continuation of his inspection tour of the Ministry’s projects in the South-West Zone, the Minister said the site is a “big success story”, adding that it is really a site to visit. He noted that “Osun NHP is near delivery and I can see active Nigerians on ground here”.

The 68 units housing comprise: 4 nos 1 bedroom, 44 nos 2 bedroom units and 20 nos 3 bedroom units including a 1 no Condominium block consisting 24 of 1,2, and 3 bedroom units

The Minister reiterated his stance against the building of perimeter fencing at the NHP sites, explaining that security is not about walling but about exploring other proactive measures to stay secured. According to him, “fencing is not in our thinking but think of other ways to secure the site”.

Zarma further explained that the essence of the National Housing Programme is to build communities that will integrate with one another both within and around the estates.

The Minister also expressed delight at the pace of work of the infrastructure projects at the site. These include: the water project which has attained 90 per cent completion, electricity and the road network which are on- going.

Team leader of the project, Mrs Lola Onwubalili described her success story commendation by the Minister as a result of dedicated contractors who worked tirelessly and obeyed supervising directives to deliver quality and timely projects and also the commitment of members of her team and the entire workforce.

She said the project is 75 per cent completed with a slight delay on the Condominium which is on the second floor already and hoped that in the next two months, the Condominium would be completed 8 out of the 12 contractors have already completed and handed over their houses while the remaining 4 are at various finishing stages.