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.

Jan

2018

Senate Committee Members Applaud As Fashola Reports 71.58% Q2 Performance For 2017 Budget * ’’I will like to say here that I have not seen any Budget of that magnitude funded up to 71 per cent; never’’, says Member * Members agree on necessity for bulk budgeting to fund roads but ask that the current budget plan continue until the process is changed The Senate Committee on Works Tuesday applauded as the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN, reported that the 2017 Budget for his Ministry has achieved 71.58 per cent implementation as at December 2017. Fashola, who had gone to the Committee Meeting to defend the 2018 Budget proposal for his Ministry, told Members of the Committee that based on all the payments made to contractors for all the works done since the commencement of the projects to date, the current Budget Performance for the second release of the Budget year now stood at 71.58 per cent. Recalling that he first reported a performance of 15.3 per cent based on payments of N57Billion made after the first release of money, the Minister, who explained that he could not quote the full performance then because, although the works had been completed and the certificates in, they were yet to be paid for, pointed out that based on some payments that were made between December 2017 and January 2018, the Performance had now gone up to 71.58 per cent. He told the Committee, ’’As I said in my introductory remarks, as at December 2017, we could only report what we had paid for, which was a lot less than the work that had actually been done; because the releases that we had for first release under 2017, was made in August 2017 and it was for N57Billion as you could see. So it was not until December 2017 that we got the second allocation of N120Billion and we also got some disbursements from the SUKUK in the sum of N57Billion’’. ’’Now, based on some payments that have been made between December 2017 and now (January 17th 2018), after the second release came to hand, we have paid out N57Billion as I said in the first release, N57.4Billion also released under the SUKUK and N120Billion. So this takes the Budget Performance up from 15.3 per cent in Q1 to 71.58 per cent as at today’’, he said eliciting applause from the Committee Members. He noted that this is the first time the Federal Government has recorded such impressive performance. The Minister, who noted that the budget has run just a little above two Quarters (June 2017 – January 2018), declared, ’’Our new performance now is 71.58 per cent. The details of those payments are what is broken down in Annex 1 covering, I believe, about 526 projects at various levels’’. He added that the Overhead Costs of the Ministry and its Parastatals currently stood at 62 per cent while the Personnel Cost which, according to him, was being implemented would be reported through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation. Referring the Members to Annexure 1 of the document, Fashola said it contains details of the 526 projects listed there and various roads across the six geopolitical zones including breakdown of payments, physical progress of work, the certificates and the amount that have been paid, the budget performance and the progress of work achieved. The Minister reiterated that the 2017 Budget was in the sum of N586.535Billion for the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and its parastatals. Also contained in Annexure 1, he said, were Overhead Costs in the sum of N15.047Billion, broken down in Paragraph B for the main Ministry, Parastatals and Agencies like FERMA and so on and so forth, the Personnel Costs amounting to N13,556,553,547 also itemized for the three sectors of the Ministry as well as the breakdown between the Main Ministry and the other sectors. Responding to questions from members, especially on the status of roads in the 2017 Budget which were not awarded in the Budget year, Fashola reiterated his earlier call for a bulk amount to be provided in the annual budget to fund roads adding that it would make for the continuous funding of the roads not awarded during the budget year. According to the Minister, this would also solve the recurring problem of a project meant for one annual budget reappearing in the budget for the following year or being abandoned adding that the present process whereby the Procurement Law stipulates a process that takes up to six months as well as other processes involved before the award of a contract was responsible for the aforementioned situation. ’’The truth is that I don’t see any self-respecting public officer, not the least of the people who are with me here, that want to start a project and not complete it; that I can say on their behalf, they don’t want to abandon any project. But from their experience, which I have come to share, is that in some budget years, when budget is passed they find zero location for some projects. So their enthusiasm is lost if their tool is taken away”, he said adding, however, that things have changed in the last two years. The Minister continued, “The question we must ask ourselves is, can we finance new projects every year? We are constructing roads in a very limited weather window and a very long drawn Procurement process of about six months every year and without completing one, we go to another because our constituents want them”. Fashola, who also noted that some of the roads being constructed run from 50km to about 500 kilometres, added that if in a state where they have three to five kilometre roads, it usually took 24 months to finish. Would it be physically possible to expect such lengthy roads to start and finish in one budget year? He advised that that it was necessary to adopt a process that would work for the country. “Our resources are not increasing in the same exponential manner in which we are committing to new projects and we have projects that will have to be completed”, the Minister said. Commenting on the budget performance, Chairman of the Committee Senator Kabir Gaya, commended the Minister for the performance saying in the history of budget performance in the country in the last ten years there has not been such achievement adding that the budget for Works in 2014, which, according to him was much smaller than the 2017 budget could not achieve up to half performance while the 2017 budget of over N500Billion had performed so much in just two quarters. “I want to say that in the history of our budget performance for the last ten years we have not seen such but in just two years we are seeing systematic progress. There was a budget of N20Billion I think in 2015 and the budget in the last two years has tripled that. This shows that this Government is concerned about improving the state of infrastructure”, the Chairman said. Noting that there have been some projects abandoned for 10 years before the coming of the present administration, the Chairman declared, “This administration has graciously put money into them. So I think Honourable Minister, I believe you are equal to the task you will continue to handle it and we know you are capable”. Also commenting on the performance, another member of the Committee, Sen. Barnabas Gemade, from Benue State, described it as something that had never happened before in the country. His words, ’’In line with the Chairman’s comments, I will like to say here that I have not seen any Budget of that magnitude funded up to 71 per cent; never’’. Most of the Committee members were, however, agreed that although the idea of creating a bulk budget to fund roads was good, it was necessary that the Government continued to function with the existing Procurement Law, Budget practice until such a time a new and acceptable Budget plan would be put in place. With the Minister at the Budget Defense were the Permanent Secretary, Works and Housing, Mr Muhammed Bukar, the Director, Finance and Accounts, Mr Ibrahim Tumsah, the Director, Public Procurement, Mr Ibrahim Badeiri, the Director Highways, Planning and Development, Engr. Chuks Uzo, and the Director Highways, Construction and Rehabilitation, Engr. Yemi Oguntominiyi among other senior officials of the Ministry. ...

Jan

2018

FEC Approves Projects in Water, Aviation and Power Sectors The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N3.7 billion for the rehabilitation of Kazaure water project and N656 million for upgrading of obsolete Flight Safety Laboratory and framework for investment in the nation’s power sector. Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, who alongside the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, and the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, made this known while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the Council’s meeting. He said the Kazaure water project which was started in 1997 and abandoned in 2000 would soon be resuscitated under the on-going Federal Government’s programme of resuscitating all irrigable land across the country. Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said that the upgrading of the flight laboratory was necessitated by the fact that the equipment which was established in 2012 had become obsolete. Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing said the Council approved a framework of investment at the 33KVA and 11KVA line in expanding the national distribution network, to deliver an extra 2000Megawatts of electricity (to consumers) which is currently not getting to the grid. ...

Jan

2018

FG to involve more Nigerians in Meter Manufacturing – Fashola The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola on Thursday said the Federal Government had concluded plans to involve more Nigerians in meter manufacturing. Fashola spoke while inspecting the National Meter Test Station in Oshodi, Lagos. He said that the measure would reduce the pressure on Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) on meter supply. “The core business of DISCOs is to transport energy; their business is not to supply meters. “The government will address metering more vigorously this year with regulations which will open up business in metering to more investors. “This will reduce the pressure on DISCOs so that they can concentrate more on their core business. “So, we will open up the business to other people who want to play in the sector once the meter regulations are completed this year,” he said. Fashola said that Nigeria’s meter journey from 1950 showed that consumers depend on meters from foreign countries. “We have seen Nigeria’s meter journey; the meters from 1950 to date, meters from Greece, Japan, Britain and China. This has shown that how our industry totally depends on meters from foreign countries. “But now, we are beginning to see meters from local manufacturers like Mojec and Moman; that is a good place to be. “At present, we have over 100 million telephone subscribers in Nigeria, but let me ask you, how many telephones are made in Nigeria? “We spend millions of naira to buy telephone from China and still we will go back and borrow money from China. “So, we want to change that in the meter industry; we are happy that some Nigerians are manufacturing meter in Nigeria and we promise to support them,” he said. He added that the National Meter Test, under Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA) was to test the accuracy of meters before installation. According to him, the accuracy tests are in two steps, so that the DISCOs will not cheat consumers and consumers do not cheat DISCOs. The minister reiterated the FG’s plan to roll out meters to Nigerian consumers soon. He said: “We plan to roll out meters, and we must”. The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEMSA and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Mr Peter Ewesor, said all meters being used by the DISCOs passed through the centre before installation. According to him, it is not possible for the meters that passed through the centre to shortchange consumers. (NAN) Source: (NAN) ...