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.

Aug

2018

Electricity: Customer Eligibility Policy Yields Result – Fashola The Customer Eligibility Policy of the Federal Government has started yielding result, with five industrial customers presently buying electricity directly from Generation Companies (GenCos). The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola made this known on Monday at the 29th stakeholders’ meeting organised by Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd., in Minna. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Customer Eligibility Policy was declared by the minister in 2017 to improve distribution side of electricity and facilitate better power supply to consumers who consumed up to two mws and above. “From reports reaching me, five industrial customers are now benefitting from the policy and taking their power directly from a GENCO, which incidentally is our host today, messers Mainstream Energy Ltd. “We also have a list of 26 industrial customers who are seeking to benefit from the policy,’’ Fashola said. According him , directives have been issued to the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to work out and implement competition transition charges as provided by Law, to safeguard operators from any losses arising from the policy. “We will continue to monitor the impact of the policy and remain flexible to keep what works and change what does not. “I urge everybody to remain open-minded, adaptive and responsive.’’ He said the provision of N701 billion payment assurance guaranteed by government was to give comfort to investors in the generation side of the value chain. This, he said was designed to ensure the payment of power produced by GenCos. “Since its implementation in 2017, recovery of payments by GenCos has increased from 20 per cent to 80 per cent and power supply capacity has improved from 4,000mw to 7,000mw and there is an appetite by other players to participate. “Is it perfect, certainly not, do the GenCos like it, I am sure that they will tell that 80 per cent recovery is better for business than 20 per cent recovery, but they would rather have 100 per cent recovery,’’ he said. The minster, however, said that GenCos must transparently invoice for their output made on generation of power. “We must harmonise the price of gas for payment under the scheme, where there are differential prices arising from different gas suppliers. “Therefore, we must work as owners of the policy to nurture and improve on its capabilities. On Meter Asset Provider (MAP), he said the policy was introduced to address the meter supply gap, relieve the DISCOs of the financial burden of meters. He said reports reaching him indicated that there was an embracement of the policy, adding that entrepreneurs were showing interest and talking to banks to raise finance. On energising educational institutions and markets, Fashola said, “these are government-led initiatives based on the rural electrification plan approved by the President in 2016 to provide access to power for rural dwellers and vulnerable members of our society.’’ He said government had proposed to use six small hydro dams that had been abandoned for decades to energise Federal Government owned universities and some markets. “There are currently 15 markets under contemplation with Ariaria, Sabon Gari and Sura markets in Aba, Kano and Lagos as flagships. “The six hydro dams are to be concessioned to private operators on Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT),’’ he said. Source: NAN ...

Aug

2018

FEC Approves N348.5 Billion For Road Expansion The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved N348.5 billion for the expansion of the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe road into dual carriage way, linking Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States. The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, made this known when he briefed State House Correspondents on the outcome of the Council’s meeting. The meeting was presided over by acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Fashola said some portions of the affected road will be improved from a single carriage way to dual carriage, in order to ease the transportation. “The Ministry of Power, works and Housing presented the request for the award of the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe road, which was approved for the sum of N348, 595, 000, 000, for a total of 420.6 kilometres and the project scope is the expansion of the current two single lane highway into a dual carriage way. “What is significant about this project is that it completes the integration of the North-Central zone with the South-East and the North-East, having earlier approved contracts for the Abuja-Keffi road and the Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road all in the North-Central as well as approved the 9th Mile-Enugu-Makurdi road which connects the South-east to the North-Central,” he said. According to the Minister, the Federal Government has also approved the release of one billion naira as commitment fee for the immediate commencement of the expansion of Abuja – Keffi road. Fashola revealed that already three construction camps for the road project had been established to fast-track the movement of the contractors to site. He, however, expressed his ministry’s inability to pay seven billion naira as compensation to those to be affected by the Abuja – Keffi expansion road project. Mr Femi Adesina, who also addressed the correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, disclosed that the Council approved over N12 billion for the execution of ecological projects across the country, He said the benefitting states included Anambra, Lagos, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Plateau, as well as the Federal Capital Territory and the State House. He said: “The sum of 12, 104, 882, 000 was approved for twelve ecological projects in different geo-political zones of the country. “The projects include Umunze erosion/flood control project in Anambra State, dredging and channelization of Musafejo canal in Surulere-Lagos and Ibadan flood and erosion control works in Oyo State. “Others are Ibiaku-Utui-Uroan route erosion control works in Akwa Ibom; erosion control and rehabilitation of Hong-Kanaha road in Adamawa State and gully erosion control project in Bauchi State. “The ecological projects include the Ramat Polytechnic erosion control and flood project in Borno State, erosion, flood control and road improvement works in Dutse, Jigawa State and erosion and flood control work in Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State.’’ Adesina also listed other projects to include the flood and erosion control project at Kanam, Plateau State; erosion control and bridges and road improvement works in Kwali Area Council Abuja and erosion control at State House-Abuja. Source (NAN) ...

Jul

2018

Third Mainland Bridge Closure For Maintenance Tests Now Shifted To August 24 * As FG Directs Immediate Deployment Of Trucks To 300-Capacity Trailer Park As Part Of Efforts To Decongest Oshodi-Apapa Expressway The three day closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for Investigative Maintenance Test earlier slated to begin on July 27, 2018, has been shifted to August 24 the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has announced. The Shutdown, earlier scheduled to last from July 27 to July 30 will now last from August 24 to August 26, 2018. In a Press Statement, Fashola said the shift in the date was arrived at after due consultations with the Lagos State Government and wide deliberations with other relevant stakeholders adding that the date shift was done “in order to give succour and relief to the people of Lagos State and other inter-state road users and support the efforts of the State Government." On the efforts to decongest the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Fashola said, in the short term, he has directed the immediate deployment of trucks to the trailer park being constructed by the Ministry with the capacity to accommodate about 300 trucks while construction works for the shoreline protection continues. Also, the on-going palliative work on the sections of the Apapa-Oshodi Road , the on-going construction of the road leading to the Apapa Port from Ijora will soon be completed while the main exit route through Tincan – Oshodi – Oworonshoki is under procurement for award. When completed, the project will enable free flow of traffic in the axis. Also following the visit of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to Lagos in connection with the Apapa Port Gridlock, the Federal Government has said, as a short term measure, a call up system in the control of truck movement would be introduced adding that it would be initially manual while the long term digital and ICT based system would be developed and deployed. The Association of Truck Owners has agreed to manage the manual system with their members who are truck operators, government also said. ...