Federal Ministry of Works

Oct

2026

LATEST PRESS

UMAHI HIGHLIGHTS IMPACT OF TINUBU’S LEGACY PROJECTS, SAYS INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS ARE TRANSFORMING NIGERIA

The Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, has highlighted the progress and transformative impact of the major infrastructure projects being executed by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration, describing them as strategic investments aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s transportation network, strengthening national connectivity and stimulating economic growth.

Umahi said this on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, in Abuja, during a *Press Conference,* where he updated on the Tinubu Administration's *four Legacy Road Projects,* ongoing federal road interventions, completed projects, procurement processes, and the Ministry’s efforts to ensure value for money in the development of infrastructure.

The Minister identified the four legacy projects as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Calabar-Ebonyi-Abuja Highway (the Trans-Saharan Route/North-South connectivity corridor, and the Dualisation of Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri Road.

According to him, the projects were conceived as strategic national infrastructure to connect all six (6) geopolitical zones, facilitate the movement of people and goods, open up economic opportunities, and strengthen Nigeria’s long-term development.

Giving an update on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Umahi disclosed that Section 1, covering 47 kilometres, has been completed, while significant progress has also been recorded on Section 2, covering approximately 55 kilometres.

He explained that pavement works on Section 2 were nearing completion, while major flyovers, overpasses and underpasses were being constructed to address complex traffic, environmental and engineering challenges along the corridor.

The Minister said some parts of the alignment had to be redesigned to accommodate existing and planned rail, road and industrial infrastructure, particularly around the Dangote Refinery and Lekki Deep Seaport axis. He stressed that the objective was to develop an integrated transportation system rather than an isolated road project. On the Ondo State axis, Umahi explained that the alignment was redesigned in some locations because of difficult terrain, deep pits and challenging subsoil conditions. He said the redesign was aimed at ensuring durability, safety and cost-effectiveness, with substantial filling and ground improvement works ongoing in some areas.

The Minister further disclosed that President Tinubu had directed that the continuation of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway be aligned with the existing East-West Road in parts of the Niger Delta area.

He described the decision as a strategic engineering intervention that would address the increasing impact of flooding and climate change on the vital infrastructure. According to him, critical sections of the East-West Road would be raised to accommodate present and anticipated flood levels and ensure the continued functionality of the strategic route.

Umahi also dwelled on the importance of the Construction of the Benin City Bypass and other sections of the littoral corridor in reducing congestion and improving movement across the South-South zone.

On the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the Minister said the project was designed to establish a major economic corridor linking Ilelah in Sokoto State with Badagry in Lagos State. He noted that various sections of the highway were at different stages of construction, with significant progress recorded across the Sokoto, Kebbi, Oyo, Ogun and Badagry axes, while those of Niger and Kwara States are commencing soon.

Umahi said the strategic importance of the project is beyond road construction, noting that the corridor would unlock agricultural, industrial, tourism and other economic opportunities. He added that the Federal Government was exploring opportunities for complementary investments, including agriculture, housing, tourism and other economic activities along the major infrastructure corridors.

Speaking on the third legacy project, the ancient Trans-Saharan Route, Engr. Umahi explained that it was designed to strengthen connectivity between the coastal axis and the northern parts of the country, thereby facilitating the movement of people, goods and services across the South-South, South East and North Central geopolitical zones.

He disclosed that substantial progress had been recorded on the initial sections, while additional sections had been approved to make the corridor more economically viable and attractive to potential financiers.

On the fourth legacy project, the Minister said the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri single carriageway is being expanded as a major northern connectivity route. He explained that the scope had been extended to cover an additional spur from Jos to Ibi in Taraba State, with design and procurement processes ongoing.

Responding to questions from journalists on the number of completed projects, the Minister listed several major road and bridge projects completed or ready for commissioning across the country. Among the projects, he mentioned Section I of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Kwanar Danja-Hadejia Road, the Kaduna-Pambeguwa Road, the Lafia Bypass, the Bodo-Bonny Road with Bridges along the Opobo Channel, among many others.

He also listed the completed first lot of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Gombe-Potiskum rehabilitation project, sections of the Azare road linking Jigawa and Bauchi, the five-span Ampoha Bridge, the 23-kilometre, 23-span flyover project at Ekpoma-Benin axis, and a three-span, 75-metre dualised bridge structure.

Umahi further disclosed that several sections of the Lagos-Badagry and Lagos-Ibadan, Lagos-Shagamu-Ore corridors had been completed, while other sections were at advanced stages of completion.

He assured journalists that the Ministry was updating its compendium of completed and ongoing projects. “*We have quite a lot of projects. We have completed projects and we have ongoing projects. We are updating the compendium and it will be made available on the Ministry’s website and circulated to the public,”* he assured.

The Minister reiterated the Federal Ministry of Works' increasing adoption of concrete pavement on major highways, saying the need for greater durability and reduced maintenance costs is driving the policy.

According to him, the Ministry is developing infrastructure that would serve Nigerians for several decades and provide better value for public resources. He reiterated that concrete pavement provides longer durability guarantees, when properly designed and constructed, compared with the recurring maintenance challenges associated with conventional asphalt pavement.

Addressing questions concerning the procurement process for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Umahi explained that the Ministry followed an applicable procurement framework. He said the special procurement approach was necessitated by the unique engineering requirements of constructing a major highway through a difficult coastal terrain.
According to him, the Ministry identified the need for a contractor with a proven track record in executing similar coastal infrastructure and subsequently made a recommendation to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). He disclosed that the BPP reviewed the recommendation and gave its clearance, while the Federal Executive Council remained the final approving authority.

Umahi said the Ministry subjected the contractor's bid to scrutiny by comparing proposed rates with prevailing market prices for materials and other inputs. He stressed that both indigenous and expatriate contractors were subjected to the same pricing and evaluation principles.

*“We put everybody on the same platform. We sent the proposals to the Bureau of Public Procurement. They reviewed it and where they felt that the rates went beyond their expected maxima, they called our attention to it, and we reviewed the rates accordingly,”* he explained.

The Minister also disclosed that substantial progress had been recorded on the Outstanding Sections of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway, with all the sections completed except the Jere-Kaduna portion advancing steadily. He revealed that the Ministry is installing solar-powered lighting along the 375-kilometre Expressway to improve night visibility, thereby enhancing safety and security. He also said that the improved condition of the highway, alongside security interventions, was contributing to safer and more efficient movement along the corridor.

The Minister disclosed that the Ministry had commenced an *“Operation Rescue”* on the Benin-Asaba Expressway following challenges associated with the road and its existing concession arrangement. He said the Federal Government had intervened to restore mobility, while plans were being developed for a comprehensive reconstruction of the entire alignment, using continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP). He stressed that Nigerians should not continue to suffer because of unresolved contractual or concession-related issues.

The Minister, particularly, highlighted the Federal Government's increased infrastructure investment in the South East, saying the Tinubu Administration had demonstrated a clear commitment to reintegrating the hitherto neglected zone into the national infrastructure development programme. He said several major road projects had either been approved, commenced, or completed by the present administration.
Umahi, who is from the zone, said it might not have the highest number of federal projects compared with other geopolitical zones, but it was no longer being left behind.

*“We can't continue to live in denial. What we have been crying for is being given. The people of the South East are being fully reintegrated into the national infrastructure development plan,”* he emphasised.

He cited the completion of the Second Niger Bridge, the rehabilitation of the 1st Niger Bridge, ongoing construction of major Bypasses and other federal road projects in the zone as evidence of the administration's commitment.

The Minister maintained that infrastructure development should be viewed from the perspective of national integration rather than regional politics. He stated that the Federal Government's infrastructure agenda was intended to ensure that every part of Nigeria benefited from strategic investments in roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure.

On the Tax-Credit Scheme’s projects inherited from the previous administrations, Umahi explained that the Federal Government had taken proactive measures to address them, especially where private-sector partners were no longer able to sustain previously approved financing arrangements.

He warned contractors, who had received mobilisation or project funds but failed to deploy the funds on the work that the Ministry would take appropriate steps to recover such funds. He stressed that accountability, performance and value for money remained central to the Ministry's project execution strategy.

The Minister also addressed the ongoing intervention on the First Niger Bridge, explaining that measures were being introduced to improve traffic management and protect the structural integrity of the bridge. He said the Ministry was installing appropriate traffic management infrastructure, CCTV cameras and other security measures at its Asaba and Onitsha ends. According to Umahi, the measures were necessary because bridges are designed primarily for dynamic as opposed to static loads, explaining that prolonged traffic gridlock can create additional structural and safety challenges. He said remedial works, repainting and other maintenance activities were also being undertaken to ensure the long-term usage of the structure.

Umahi further explained that the Federal Government's road development strategy included environmental considerations, such as the planting of trees along major highways and the installation of solar-powered street lighting. He said the initiative would help improve visibility and the environment, provide shade, and contribute to the reduction of harmful emissions along major transport corridors.

The Minister also linked infrastructure development to the broader economic reforms of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu Administration, saying improved roads and connectivity would support agricultural production, industrialisation, trade, commerce, tourism and investment. He maintained that the Federal Government's infrastructure investments were part of a broader strategy to move economic growth from the macroeconomic level to the grassroots.

On the financing of the major legacy projects, Umahi assured Nigerians that the Federal Government had put mechanisms in place to ensure that the projects are adequately funded to completion.
He revealed that significant portions of the projects had been funded, while loan-financing arrangements were being implemented for the remaining components.

He noted that the administration was determined not to embark on projects without ensuring that there was a credible financing mechanism for their completion.
*“We don't start what we will not finish. And we will not finish what we have not started,”* he stated.

The Minister reaffirmed the commitment of the Ministry to completing inherited projects, while simultaneously delivering new strategic infrastructure under the Tinubu Administration. He said the legacy projects were not merely road construction schemes but long-term investments designed to transform Nigeria's economic landscape, improve connectivity, strengthen national integration and security, and create opportunities for millions of Nigerians.

In his closing remarks, the *Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary (DOOPS), Mohammed Aminu Ahmed, FCNA,* expressed appreciation to the Minister, members of the media, and all participants for attending. He commended the media for its continued partnership with the Ministry in informing Nigerians about government infrastructure projects and encouraged it to continue to provide constructive criticism on the Ministry's activities.

Jun

2020

Works And Housing Minister, Fashola, Has Not Left Abuja Since March 22 The attention of the Office of the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has been drawn to a letter signed by the Chairman/CEO of Executive Jets Services Limited, Dr Sam Iwuajoku concerning a flight it operated to Abuja last weekend. For purposes of clarity and in order to set the records straight, the Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has not travelled out of Abuja since March 22, 2020, when he returned there after an inspection tour of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway construction work and a visit to Lagos, before the lockdown. The decision of the Hon. Minister not to travel was taken in strict compliance with the Federal Government’s ban on inter-state travels as part of efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. It is therefore ridiculous for Dr Iwuajoku to attempt to link the Hon. Minister with any noncompliant flight. ...

Apr

2020

Abba Kyari : Tribute To A Single-Minded Patriot As the inks flow in tributes to Abba Kyari by those who loved and despised him, let us not forget that Abba was much misunderstood and often maligned. Wherever you stood then and stand now, let us not forget that Abba was a patriot . He executed President Buhari’s vision with his own single mindedness. One of his favourite quotes was credited to Jeff Immelt to the effect that “The job looks easy when you are not the one doing it.” He seemed to take a lot of comfort from these words when his actions were misunderstood. I bear testimony to his dedicated execution of the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund Initiative (PIDF) which guaranteed funding to cash strapped projects like the Second Niger Bridge, the Abuja-Kano Highway, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Mambilla Hydro Project and the East –West Road at monthly meetings we held to review progress with Contractors. Like all of us, Abba was flawed but he was not conceited. He was driven by conviction and never shied from an intellectual argument because his intellect was vast. We disagreed but I never found Abba disagreeable. Now that he has paid the supreme price in the service of the fatherland one good way we can honour Abba’s service and memory is to continue where he stopped. Our most compelling assignment is to make the defeat of Covid-19 an urgent National Assignment to be completed in shortest possible time. I think Abba would love that very much. We must now undertake this assignment with a single mindedness similar to Abba’s execution of his own assignment. This requires all of us , high and low , to observe existing guidelines like hand washing, sanitizing , wearing of face mask, social distancing and staying at home, in order to stop the community spread of the virus. We must remember that the virus , on its own can only travel about 6 (six) feet and no more. If it travels beyond that to our villages, cities, towns, wards, local governments and our homes, we carried it and enabled it to do so by heedlessly transporting it. My deepest condolences go to Abba’s wife, children and family who gave us their Husband, Father, Brother, Uncle and Son , and to Mr President and all his immediate Staff and colleagues in the Villa . Rest in Peace Chief, you served well. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN Honourable Minister of Works and Housing ...

Mar

2020

FG Committed To Development Of Education Through Provision Of Quality Infrastructure – Fashola The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN Tuesday reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to the development of education in the country through the provision of quality infrastructure, saying it remains a vital means to impact quality in that sector. Fashola, who spoke while handing over two kilometres rehabilitated internal roads and a paved parking lot to the Kaduna Polytechnics, said the Buhari administration also chose to invest in infrastructure renewal in the education sector in order to improve the learning environment in the tertiary institutions pointing out that the various feedbacks from the students of those institutions testify to the positive impact on the sector. The 2.0 kilometre road project includes: Hamman Tukur Avenue, Yusuf Aboki Avenue, Abdullahi Crescent, Aminu Aliyu Close, Salisu Iliyasu Close, Yusuf Hassan roads and a roundabout linking them. The minister, who was represented by the Federal Controller of Works Kaduna State, Engr. Finbarr James declared, “It is un-debatable that the quality of education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment and those who doubt it should simply listen to some of the feedbacks from students in the schools where this type of intervention has taken place.” Fashola noted with delight that the gap of Nigeria’s infrastructure needs was steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repair, renewal and construction on major highways and it has reached schools. He added that aside the impact in schools the project also generated employment for people thereby contributing to the job creation initiatives of the Federal Government. Urging the academic community to take ownership of the infrastructure and ensure that they are carefully utilized in order to last their lifespan, Fashola promised that Federal Government would continue to intervene in education, explaining that the intervention by Federal Government would improve the ambience and environment of Federal Tertiary Institutions to enhance academic activities. The Rector of Kaduna Polytechnics, Professor Idris Bugaje, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and the Minister of Works and Housing for the intervention recalling that he met all the infrastructure in dilapidated state when he came to the institution. He added that with this intervention the institution had been able to repair most of the roads in the main campus and a few ones outside. He told the audience at the brief ceremony, “When I came here in October 2017 the Kaduna Polytechnics was in very bad shape. The roads, the buildings, all the infrastructure had dilapidated. We have also been able to do the pavement of the campus parking lot et cetera.” “So we are most grateful to the Minister of Works and Housing”, he said, appealing to the minister that because the Polytechnics operates multi-campuses, the Federal Government should also intervene in the other campuses of the institution across Kaduna State. In her remarks, the Kaduna Polytechnics Director of Works, Engr. Umm Kulthoom Aminu, also expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and the Minister of Works and Housing for including the Polytechnic in the on-going interventions pointing out that no regime in the country had ever dreamed of carrying out such intervention in the institution prior to the present one by the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration In an interview with newsmen, the director declared, “We are grateful to the Federal Government and the Minister. No other regime except this one has ever thought or looked at the tertiary institutions. And as you can see yourselves, our parking space is something we will be grateful for, it will be here after this government and after other governments.” She, however, pleaded with the minister for more interventions saying, “The Kaduna Polytechnics is a multi-campus institution. Aside this Main Campus in Tudun Wada, we have another campus in Baranawa, we call it College for Environmental Studies. We have another one in BYPASS, we call it College of Social Sciences. We have another campus, the College of Business and Management Studies where we have our farm, demonstration farm in a village called Nariya. According to her the small road leading to the farm needs rehabilitation due to the insecurity in the state, particularly the incidence of kidnapping and other crimes that occur along the road. She believes an intervention on the road would facilitate the movement of students to and from the farm for practicals under a more secured environment. The Welfare Officer of the Polytechnics’ Students Union Government, Mr. Isa Ibrahim, in his remarks also expressed “sincere appreciation to the Federal Government for deeming it fit to choose Kaduna Polytechnics as one of the tertiary institutions to touch in the on-going interventions across institutions in Nigeria”. Ibrahim, who is in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Technology, said, “This is my five years here as far as this Polytechnics is concerned and nothing of this nature had happened. We thank the Federal Government for seeing the need to touch these roads and since the interventions, movement has been made a lot easier for pedestrians and vehicle owners within the school campus including the lecturers and the students.” In an interview with journalists the Controller of Works Kadun State, Engr.Finbarr James reiterated that the need for the interventions in the nation’s tertiary institutions by the Federal Government was a response to create a conducive learning environment and impact on the quality of education in the institutions. He added that prior to the intervention in Kaduna Polytechnics the roads were in “a sorry state” with the walkways impassable in some areas. “Those who drove at nights within the campus often got accidents, students got accidents at nights while going to classes, vehicles were having accidents. There is a roundabout there where there was not traffic lights, people drove any how even with the bad state of the place. It was and obvious problem and when we saw all these things we had to write to include this institution as one of those to benefit from the interventions.” ...