Federal Ministry of Works

Mar

2026

LATEST PRESS

UMAHI DECLARES AN END TO YEARS OF DEADLY TRAPS AND GRIDLOCK ON THE ENUGU–ONITSHA EXPRESSWAY, SETS MARCH 31 DEADLINE FOR REOPENING

The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON has declared that the long-troubled Enugu–Onitsha Expressway is fast shedding its grim past, as the Federal Government intensifies a sweeping infrastructure upgrade across the South-East under the President, His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

Umahi made the declaration on Monday, March 23, 2026, during an inspection of ongoing projects in Enugu, including the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway and the Eke-Obinagu Flyover, where he expressed confidence that the era of consistent fatal accidents, endless traffic, and public frustration along the road is coming to an end.

“I’m going round the six geopolitical zones assessing what is possibly to be commissioned before May 29th by Mr President. There are mega project that the President will be available for before May 29th and we mean it,” the Minister said.

Once regarded as one of the most dangerous highways in the region, the Enugu–Onitsha road had for years been plagued by tanker explosions, loss of lives, and economic disruptions. But Umahi said decisive intervention by the Tinubu administration has changed the trajectory.

“Now this route, the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, you recall that when we came on board, everyday, people were talking about this road. There were a lot of tanker accidents, a lot of people died and so forth. But my joy is that the whole thing is a past story, because the President has swinged into action,” he stated.

The Minister disclosed that the dual carriageway, which spans 107 kilometres on each side, is undergoing a major structural shift, with a significant portion being converted from asphalt to concrete to ensure durability.

“It is not only that we are repairing this road… about half of it is going on to be concrete. I have no confidence in asphalt I continue to say it. By the time the asphalt fail we will have 50 percent of the road still intact and if it fails within the second tenure of the president then be rest assured that we will fix it,” he said.

He added that the same approach is being extended to sections in Anambra State, including the head bridge axis, where an initial asphalt design is being replaced with concrete pavement to align with modern highway standards.

“At the head Bridge we have 39k, we’re changing that to concrete so that we can have this coastal road type of road pavement there in Anambra and here in Enugu,”.

Beyond reconstruction, the project is also being enhanced with solar-powered street lighting and environmental features aimed at improving safety and sustainability.

“So that is going to happen but then not only that. We are putting solar light both for the one that was constructed before us and the one that is being done by us. Within the first one week we will have solar light up to this 1km and we continue we are also going to plant trees which is very important,” he added.

The Minister urged the people of the South-East to recognise the level of federal intervention in the region, noting that such attention to infrastructure was previously lacking.

“The people of South East have to be very grateful to Mr President. The reason is that we never had it like this. I was governor for 8 years and I can’t think of any Federal road project in Ebonyi State,” he said.

He also cautioned against divisive narratives, warning that some actors were misleading the public for selfish interests.

“I want to ask our people to be very very careful, there are people that pretend that they are helping us but they actually inciting us against government… we need to know when people are genuinely interested in our case,” he said.

Calling for sustained support for President Tinubu, Umahi described the ongoing works as part of a broader effort to correct past neglect and integrate the South-East more fully into national development.

“Let us allow this man that have started to right the wrong metted on us as the people of Southeast in the past. Let us allow him the next four years and we will be very much fully integrated,” he stated, adding, “To know the revolution that is going on in infrastructure… this is the Biafra we are looking for.”

As a major milestone, the Minister directed that the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway be reopened for public use on or before March 31.

“I have given the controller the authority, by the 31st or before, he should call the press to open this road, call the people of South East… let them know that this road is open for travel and that will be our Easter celebration,”.

Addressing concerns over project costs, Umahi clarified that the Ministry of Works does not unilaterally determine project pricing, noting that approvals pass through multiple regulatory layers, including the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council.

“I’m not the final authority when it comes to the cost of a project, there are layers of approval, the Bureau of Public Procurement, their own stands and not my own,” he explained.

He maintained that the standard being applied to the Enugu–Onitsha project is consistent with major road projects across the country.

“The same road architecture as the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway… so no discrimination with the president, everybody is the same,” Umahi said.

Mar

2020

FG Shuts Alaka Bridge Linking Eko Bridge In Lagos For Emergency Repairs The Federal Government on Tuesday night shut the Alaka Bridge linking Eko Bridge in Lagos for repairs to prevent its total collapse, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. NAN reports that officials from both Lagos State Ministry and Federal Ministry of Works and their Transportation counterparts converged on the bridge at about 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday for the emergency closure. The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, told NAN in a telephone interview, that the emergency closure was to prevent total collapse of the bridge. “We are all here closing the Alaka to Costain portion of the Eko Bridge because some bearings are bad. “We just discovered that the bearings are broken and we are here to shut it down for the safety of motorists. “We are shutting it down now so that we can carry out full investigations on the extent of damage to the bearings to begin the repairs,’’ Kuti said. He explained that only Alaka flyover portion from Alaka to Costain section of the Eko Bridge was bad but from Costain Bus stop area beside the National Theatre is in good condition. The Controller said that the traffic regulatory agencies were on ground to ensure that impact of gridlock as a result of the closure was minimized when commuters use the road on Wednesday morning. He advised motorists going to Lagos Island to connect the Eko Bridge through the service lane at Alaka through Iponrin to Costain Bus Stop area to connect the bridge. He also advised use of the National Theatre, as alternative route to connect the Eko Bridge on the other side. (NAN) ...

Mar

2020

UNIMAID Students Appreciate Buhari, Fashola for Internal Roads Students of the University of Maiduguri (Unimaid) have expressed appreciation to Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN and President Muhammadu Buhari over the rehabilitation of some internal roads in the University. The appreciation was made during the formal handing over of 1.653 km roads rehabilatated by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing under its intervention initiative. The project also included asphalt overlay of 0.303 km road in the University. University of Maiduguri is among the 18 Federal Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria that benefited from the first phase of the internal roads intervention project of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, spearheaded by Fashola. Speaking on behalf of the Students, the President of the Students Union Government, Comrade Abdulrahman Zanna said that the intervention brought the much needed impact on the education sector and would greatly enhance learning and boost the morals of the students in the pursuit of knowledge. Zanna explained that Unimaid has been witnessing increasing number of students from the entire north east region coming for studies and requested for more of such intervention for the University. He explained that the effort of President Buhari in the provision and improvement of infrastructure in the nation's tertiary institutions was a clear demonstration of his commitment to close the infrastructural deficit in the country. Earlier in his address, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Professor Aliyu Shugaba said that the road was the busiest road on the campus day and night because it connected the students' hostels and the commercial center on the campus. He said, "Motorists have now found succor plying the road. Prior to the rehabilitation, the experience on the road was bad." The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN was represented at the handover ceremony by the Borno State Federal Controller of Works, Engr. Yahaya Ali. Fashola said, "The gap of our infrastructure needs is steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs, renewal and construction on major highways and it has reached the schools." He also explained that the quality of education would no doubt be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment, pointing out that the feedback from students in the institutions that benefited from such intervention attested to that. "The intervention by Federal Government will improve the ambience and environment of Federal Tertiary Institutions to enhance academic activities," he said. The Vice Chancellor assured the Minister that the road would be taken care of, adding that, "There is greater need for more road to serve the University because of it's expansive land." Among the dignitaries present at the handing over ceremony were the Pro- Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of the University, Professor Biodun Adesanya and other management staff of the Institution. Professor Adesanya, in a good will message, commended the Federal Government and the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN for coming to the aid of the tertiary institutions in Nigeria, describing it as a good initiative that would greatly grow the education sector. ...

Mar

2020

The Gap of our Infrastructure Needs is Steadily Being Bridged -FASHOLA The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has reiterated that the gap of Nigeria's infrastructure needs is steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs, renewal and construction on major highways which has reached the Federal Polytechnic,Ede, Osun State. Fashola disclosed this while handing over a rehabilitated 2km internal road and construction of culverts at the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State. While speaking during the inauguration ceremony, the Minister who was ably represented by the Federal Controller of Works Osun State,Engr. Olawale Kehinde said, "Currently, there are 43 such interventions in internal roads within tertiary institutions across Nigeria. To date 18 (Eighteen) out of the 43 (forty three) interventions have been completed and today we hand over this in Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State" Fashola said, "With the current intervention in the tertiary institutions quality of education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment, and it will renew students' enthusiasm to attend classes ,because some impassable roads have become motorable." Expantiating on the economic importance of the project, the Minister divulged that no less than 38 (thirty eight) people were employed during the execution of the project which contributed enormously to the job creation initiatives of the Federal Government. He, enjoined the school management and host community to ensure that the project was effectively maintained. Speaking earlier, the Rector Federal Polytechnic Ede, Dr. John Taiwo Adekolawole, who was represented by the Deputy Rector, (Admin), Mr. I. T. Adelabu, said the project consists of 2km road in the North and the South campus. I am sure both the students and the staff are very happy with the construction of the road. In his words, "In deed management is very appreciative of the new road as it has changed tremendously the landscape of our campus." He further maintained that with the cooperation and support of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, other road projects will be approved for construction especially the Ogberin-Logun-Sekona road. "We hope the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing will also be positive on other collaborations and on other projects especially our perimeter fencing of the South Campus," he said. The Rector who was so delighted with the kind gesture expressed his sincere appreciation to the construction company (Messrs Q System Venture Ltd) that undertook the project with high sense of responsibility and completed the road in record time. Adekolawole also expressed his sincere appreciation to all the Directors of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, for the their efforts. In his closing remarks, the Dean, School of Applied Science, Dr. S. A. Amusan, sincerely appreciated the kind gesture by the Federal Government to their institution, also thanked the Honourable. Minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN for what he has done to the Federal Polytechnic, Ede. In his remarks, the President of the Students Union Government (SUG), Mr. Quazeem Ajibade, said he was so pleased with the road project and under his tenure the project would be highly protected and maintained. Ajibade said it has made the school environment more conducive for learning. ...