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.

Dec

2018

More Rural Communities To Get Access To Electricity - Fashola The Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola says the Federal Government is determined to the provide critical infrastructure that will boost the economy as well as impact positively on lives of Nigerians. The Minister revealed that more rural communities are having access to electricity by the policy of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. He made the remark when he received in audience, the the Village Head of Gora Community in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa state in his office. The delegation was led by Hajia Kareen Fatimah Mohammed. He said “One of the reasons I have you here is that you are the faces of electricity under this Administration: Dozen communities are having access to electricity whether on mini grid or off grid like Gora community and this demonstrates that the government is working”. Fashola further revealed that the rural electrification plan enabled government to access about 200 million dollars to run a pilot in 70 communities in 5 States of the federation, adding that the data of the communities yet to access electricity would be gathered so as to ultimately extend access to them. He explained that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration is running an all-inclusive government by also appointing young people to leadership positions. He also said that young Nigerians under 40 years of age presently constitute the membership of the Board of the Nigeria Rural Electrification Agency (NREA) including the Managing Director, Mrs Damilola Ogunbiyi, starting that “it is the young people who have done the work, the unsung heroes of Buhari’s government”. Fashola said that apart from providing electricity to the Community, they are also connected to roads, rail and bridges, maintaining that “what is good for the people in the cities, must be good for people in the rural communities”. He pointed out that the rural and farming communities are “the most critical pillars of diversity of Nigerian government, being treasures store of food and construction materials.” The Minister pointed out that Nigerians are now more united than ever before, adding that the projects such as this has connected men, women and communities across Nigeria, citing the case of Hajia Kareem Mohammed who though hails from Gombe State, yet solicited for electricity for Gora Communities where her farm is located. Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Hajia Mohammed and the Head of Gora Community, Alhaji Jafaru Adamu took turns to appreciate the government, saying that the communities have benefited immersely in improved education, health and day to day activities of the people. Alhaji Adamu, however requested that the solar power be extended to other communities in the State ...

Dec

2018

Nigerians Will Remain Grateful To The Fallen Heroes - Fashola The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN has Stated that Nigerians will remain ever grateful by remembering the supreme sacrifice paid by our brothers and sister who laid down their lives for the service of our father’s land, Nigeria. Fashola made the statement, on Monday, in his Mabushi office when he received in audience the National Planning Committee of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration (AFRDC) 2019 who decorated him and also commended him for his immense contributions during the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration. While been decorated alongside the Minister of State 1 for Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri, Fashola noted that the seeming peace which is being enjoyed in Nigeria is as a result of commitment and sacrifices of our fallen heroes who fought gallantly and fearlessly to defend the integrity of our father land. He however commended the Nigeria Armed Forces for being combatant ready and for exhibiting professionalism at all times. The Minister maintained that the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration is an important event which should be made more elaborate by calling on all well-meaning Nigerians, friends and well-wishers to contribute generously to an endowment fund that will cater for the families who lost their beloved ones. He also suggested for an improved production and redesigning of the Emblem so as to be more appealing to the eyes while the basics and the fundamental messages remains. Earlier , Major Issa Abdulhamid who represented the Chairman , National Planning Committee of the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration, Major General Edward Chijioke Obi, disclosed that the reason of their visit was to identify with the Ministers in order to raise funds for the families of our fallen heroes and by so doing alleviate their plight and predicaments. Major Abdulhamid also thanked the Ministers for attending to members of his committee in spite of their busy schedules. ...

Nov

2018

FG To Carry Out Remedial Works In Major Arterial Roads Across The Country- Fashola The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has disclosed that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the sum of N1.85b to carry out remedial works on the major arterial roads across the country for ease of movement and also reduce travelling hours during the ember festive period. He said that money will be released to the 37 Federal Controllers of Works to effectively carry out the reconstruction works in the identified heavy traffic routes frequently used. Fashola stated this while declaring open the Capacity Building Workshop for the Federal Controllers of Works with the theme: “Learning and Development for Greater Stature”, organized by the Ministry recently in Kaduna. The Minister encouraged the Federal Controllers to apply the principle of emotional intelligence and project management taught during the workshop, adding that Zonal Directors of Works from the Ministry would be deplored to all the zones to oversee their activities and performances during this period. Speaking earlier at the workshop, the Coordinator and Director Highways, North East Zone, Engr. Rufai Mohammed, said that part of the aims of the workshop was to discuss ways to tackle the challenges of the ember months and make necessary repairs where applicable. He noted that the workshop was to enable them achieve the set goals and accomplish government programmes and get value for money. In a related development, the Minister also visited the Kaduna Power Plant project site to assess the progress of work aimed at providing additional 215 megawatt to the nation’s power grid. He expressed satisfaction on the level and quality of job being carried out in the last one year. ...