Federal Ministry of Works

May

2026

LATEST PRESS

INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS CRITICAL TO ECONOMIC GROWTH — PERMANENT SECRETARY TELLS INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE CONFERENCE 2026 IN ABUJA

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr. Rafiu Olarinre Adeladan, has reaffirmed that infrastructure development remains the foundation of economic growth and sustainable national development, stressing that no nation can attain meaningful progress without substantial investment in critical infrastructure.

Speaking at the International Civil Service Conference 2026 held on Thursday in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary described infrastructure as a key driver of economic transformation, noting that the present administration has prioritised infrastructure and transportation as central pillars of national development.

According to him, countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and South Africa have continued to achieve significant economic advancement through deliberate and sustained investments in roads, railways, power, and other essential infrastructure.

He explained that infrastructure plays a strategic role across all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, transportation, commerce, and oil and gas, by facilitating the movement of goods and services, enhancing productivity, attracting investments, and improving the quality of life of citizens.

Adeladan further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Works has adopted modern and resilient road construction technology known as Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP), in line with global best practices and in response to the growing impact of climate change on road infrastructure.

He noted that although CRCP roads require higher initial construction costs, they are more durable, environmentally sustainable, cost-effective over time, and capable of withstanding heavy traffic loads for up to 50 years with minimal maintenance.
The Permanent Secretary added that the adoption of concrete pavement technology promotes local content development through the utilisation of locally sourced materials and labour, thereby creating employment opportunities and stimulating economic growth.

Addressing the challenges confronting infrastructure development in Nigeria, Adeladan identified inadequate funding as a major constraint, particularly given the enormous resources required to bridge the nation’s infrastructure deficit.

He explained that government alone cannot provide all the funding needed for infrastructure development, hence the increasing adoption of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and concession arrangements for major road projects nationwide.
He cited the Benin–Asaba Road and the Abuja–Keffi–Akwanga corridor as examples of projects already concessioned to ensure sustainable maintenance, improved efficiency, and enhanced service delivery.

The Permanent Secretary stressed the importance of designing infrastructure projects with clear developmental objectives, sustainability, climate resilience, and community needs in mind, noting that infrastructure investments must deliver tangible socio-economic benefits and long-term public value.

Also speaking at the conference, the Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr. Temitope Peter Fashedemi, underscored the importance of proper planning and climate-conscious infrastructure delivery to mitigate losses caused by flooding, erosion, and poor maintenance culture.
Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Dr. Emanso Umobong, advocated the integration of technology, smart city concepts, community participation, and human capital development in infrastructure planning and implementation.

In his remarks, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) emphasised that Nigeria’s huge infrastructure gap requires stronger private sector participation, noting that sustainable infrastructure financing can only be achieved through an enabling environment that guarantees investor confidence and reasonable returns on investment.

The conference brought together top government officials, policymakers, development experts, and other stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for strengthening infrastructure delivery and promoting sustainable national development through innovation, technology, and collaborative partnerships.

Mohammed A. Ahmed
Director, Information and Public Relations
21st May,2026

Aug

2023

No Concrete Layout, No Contract - Umahi Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi has disclosed that there will be no contract award under his watch for any road unless it is with concrete layout. The Minister made this disclosure during an inspection tour of Oshodi Oworoshoki - Ojota road on Tuesday 29th August, 2023 as part of his tour of some roads in Lagos and states within South West Nigeria. The Minister who expressed satisfaction with the job done noted that it was about ninety nine percent done except for some finishing touches. He wondered why some contractors were against the more durable and cost reduction use of Concrete Technology that is the use of cement for road construction despite its advantages over bitumen which is more expensive and less durable, a situation he attributed to the fact that the bitumen produced recently are of lesser quality. The Minister noted that despite the high number of heavy trucks that ply the road it is still without defects adding that if it was an asphalt road it would have started failing and developing faults. He challenged contractors who are aversed to the construction of concrete roads to come to Oworoshoki road to see an example of its advantage over asphalt. At the Apongbon bridge, the Minister lamented that some people were trading and selling chemical under it which resulted in the fire outbreak early in the year thereby causing huge damage to the bridge. He expressed government's determination to rehabilitate it as soon as possible and install solar light. While at Iponri section of the Eko bridge the Engr. David Umahi called on the Lagos State Government to urge the people using the premises under it to clean the surrounding and make it beautiful and habitable for their use. At the Porto-Novo Liverpool round- about bridge, the Minister directed the Director, Design and Bridges, Engineer Adesanya Awosanya to send the report on the structural defects on it and other bridges that have similar problems to his office. ...

Aug

2023

Works Minister’s Road Inspection - Section 1 of Lagos - Ibadan Expressway Ready Soon- Engr. Umahi. Minister of Works, David Nweze Umahi is excited as he inspected the 98% completion of Section 1 of the crucial Lagos - Ibadan expressway in Lagos today. He said " we are excited with the speed of work, the problem of interchange in Ogun State will be resolved so that we can finish with the issue of compensation". While speaking with the contractor he said “In our subsequent work, we shall work on concrete road, and if you have any problem let us know so that we can support you". Director South West Engr. Adedamola Kuti, earlier said " the main carriage way of section 1 Lagos Ibadan expressway will be completed in September while the Lagos in-bound is completed. The West Region Manager of Julius Berger Thomas Christol in charge of the contraction of Section 1, said " the last kilometre shall be completed next week ". At the construction of Eleko - Dangote Refinery concrete pavement road by Dangote Company under the Tax Credit Scheme, the service lane being proposed would be taken to Federal Executive Council for approval. Umahi said “Solar Light should be incorporated and has to be tolled ". He said by tolling the road and handing it over to private sector to manage, the lighting and security will be managed from the revenue from tolling alongside the maintenance of the road thereby generating revenue. In his words “this initiative is good and will add positively to our economy, Mr. President is committed to this facility. ...

Aug

2023

FG Reaffirms Commitment to completing Abuja/Kaduna Road. The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi (CON) has reassured the people of the North and Nigerians of the commitment of the FG to the completion of the Abuja –Kaduna dual carriageway by 2024. Umahi disclosed this while speaking to journalists during the inspection of the highway as directed by Mr. President who, according to him, is so passionate about the completion of the road as it will alleviate the suffering and travel time of commuters plying the road. The Minister added that the road is very important to Mr. President and he is committed to finishing it by 2024, adding that he will match his words with action. Umahi said, "Mr. President is passionate and concerned about finishing this road and many other Federal roads across the Nation and my inspection as directed is to get first-hand information and examine the challenges involved in the construction of the road and other roads to be visited soon”. The section 1 of the highway which is 165.5km is part of the 375.4-kilometer Abuja-Kaduna –Zaria-Kano project awarded to Messrs. Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. in 2018 by the previous administration but is yet to be complete like other sections of the road due to insecurity and criminal activities. The Minister who decried any form of wastage of funds or delay during construction work stressed that there should be a meaningful reason for any change in the approved design of a project to take place. “Speaking further, he said, "I have observed that there is an issue with the design, I'm directing the Director of Geo-Technics Material and Quality Control of the Ministry of Works, he must come and run figures with me with the project Consultant". "They have to prove to me that the CPR of the sub upgrade now is more than the CPR of the existing sub grade. I don’t believe in it and if that is not the case there shouldn’t be any need to disturb the existing sub grade, we should actually build our pavement on the existing sub grade. We want to see how we can cut down cost". Umahi emphasized the need to quicken the approval process of payments for contractors and not make contractors go to site when payments have not been made to them. “Again, I have asked the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, (NSIA), to run me figures, let me know how much money they want to give in every month for this project because there is a limit you can push the contractor if you don’t have funding for him". " If you generate certificate and you cannot pay him, you can’t do more, so we are trying to look at it and if we get the figures, we will be able to insist that the contractor should start this road constructions on a number of sections", he further said. The Minister who acknowledged the central role of security in the progress of any nation has assured Nigerians that this administration will do everything within available means to provide security for lives and properties on the roads. He promised that efforts will be made to provide solar light on the completed sections of the road for the safety of road users and its environs if the contingency funds are available. The Minister encouraged the use of concrete road pavement as an alternative to the use of asphalt in road construction describing it as durable and cheaper. He urged citizens to take responsibility for FG projects in their states by protecting them rather than looting and vandalizing them as government cannot protect them. The Director Highway Construction and Rehabilitation, Engr. Folorunsho Esan and the Director Highway North Central Engr. Bola Aganaba, all promised to monitor closely from now on the progress of work going on the road and also to meet with the deadline. Responding, the Project Manager Messrs. Julius Berger Nigeria Ltd, represented by Engr. Dwadowki Finn, he expressed his gratitude to the Minister for his visit and encouragement. He stated that the project is their major project in the country and will continue to do their best to maintain the standard and deliver the project at the scheduled time. The Minister was accompanied on the inspection by Senators Lawal Usman representative Kaduna Central and Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, representing Ebonyi North. The Federal Controller of Works in Kaduna State, Engr. Ibrahim Mmadu and Eng. Usman Yakubu were also in the entourage. The Minister also before leaving Kaduna state paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Kaduna state who was represented by the Deputy Governor of the state. ...

LIVE ACTIVITY FEED

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

Nov

2025

OTHER NEWS

Aug

2018

Remarks By The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry Of Power, Works And Housing, (Works And Housing Sector), Mohammed Bukar, At The 24th National Council Meeting On Works, Held In Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State

Protocols,

I am pleased to welcome you to the 24th Meeting of the National Council on Works holding in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State.

2. As you are aware, the theme of this year’s National Council Meeting is “Ensuring Value-for-Money in Nigerian Highways Development”. The theme is apt and timely, considering our collective resolve to address the challenges in road development in the country within available resources.

3. In order to ensure that this target is achieved, it has become necessary for all the critical stakeholders to consider and provide contemporary policies that will support the attainment of the above target.

4. It is quite instructive that the theme was carefully chosen to ensure prudent spending of available financial resources in Highways development in the country due to the huge investment governments at all levels are making in road development.

5. The Meeting is significant as it will afford us the desired opportunities to identify challenges in the highways sector and develop strategies towards addressing them. We are therefore, expected to explore various realistic means of proper utilization of funds and other resources meant for road projects, to enable quick service delivery, which in turn will fast-track national growth and sustainability. May I also stress on the need to ensure that all our recommendations align with the objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of 2017-2019 which focuses on restoring economic growth, ease of doing business, investing in our people and creating a competitive economy. The achievement of these objectives largely lies on the availability of good road network across the country.

6. Distinguished delegates and officials, the timing of this meeting therefore, is very significant as it affords us the opportunity to think through and make necessary provisions in our various Budgets for the year 2019 and beyond as well as take necessary steps that will ensure money spent on roads impacts on the Nigerian economy, positively.

7. On this note, I once again welcome you all and wish you fruitful deliberations.

8. Thank you.

Speeches

May

2017

Remarks By Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN At The Inauguration Of The Board Of The Rural Electrification

Although today is only scheduled for the inauguration of the reconstituted board of the Rural Electrification Agency, I feel obliged to make a few comments that I believe shed some light on the plan of the Buhari Administration on our understanding of the purpose and role of this agency.

Before I do so, let me express the gratitude of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the immediate past acting Managing Director and his team and all those who have served in this agency since its inception, for their service and contribution.

It is my expectation that the new team will be able to build on whatever you have left behind, improve on it and ultimately achieve the purpose for which this agency was set up, which is to provide access to electricity for millions of Nigerians who are yet to be connected to the grid.

Although it is called a 'Rural' Electrification Agency, there are many urban and suburban communities that still lack access to power because they have not been connected to the national grid.

Part of the reason for this lack of access is that the 330/132 KV and 132/33 KV lines (popularly called the high-tension wires), by which this connection is often made, run over long distances covering several hundreds of kilometers.

The cost of extending these lines to communities is expensive and where the population in such communities is not large, the price of their electricity will be high because it will be borne by a few people.

Because public tariff is fixed, investments in these lines are not considered attractive and it is easy to pass over these communities or simply attempt grid extensions which have not covered the field and have resulted in many people being left behind.

All of this is about to change and that is why we are here. REA is the champion of these unconnected communities, who have have been left unserved. REA will bring them to mainstream of electricity connectivity by providing and promoting off grid connections.

Let me point out that when the Electricity Sector Reform Act was passed in 2005, it set up the Rural Electrification Agency and mandated that the Rural Electrification Implementation plan should be prepared (within a year) for Presidential Approval.

It is that plan that will set out how to reach the unconnected communities that I spoke about, through a combination of grid extension and development of independent grids, using new technology such as solar, which will mitigate the cost of the long 330/132 KV and 132/33 KV lines which I spoke about.

Unfortunately, nothing was done between 2005 and 2016 about the Rural Electrification Implementation program until 2016 when President Buhari approved this plan. That was a period of inaction of 11 (ELEVEN) years.

Thankfully, all that is behind us. We must look to tomorrow and the promise of increased access to electricity that President Buhari’s approval heralds.

The anchors for implementing Rural Access are:

A. Completion of over 2000 Grid extension projects that started life as constituency projects since 1999 but have now either been abandoned or uncompleted;

B. Resuscitation of 6 (SIX) small Hydro dams and activation of their power component, which have received Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval, have been advertised, and we have received Expressions of Interest which we are evaluating.

C. Development of Independent Power Plants in 37 (THIRTY-SEVEN) federal universities and seven teaching hospitals in rural areas and the building of independent power grids from there to connect adjoining rural and unconnected communities.

Most of these IPPs, at least 27 (TWENTY-SEVEN), will be solar powered and this is the heart of the matter.

This is because President Buhari understands the increasing emergence of renewable energy sources, like solar power from the fringes of the energy debate to the mainstream.

This is why he was one of the first leaders to append his signature on behalf of Nigeria to the Paris agreement.

Most importantly he understands the appeal of renewables generally and Solar in particular to the global youth population and Nigeria's youth.

He understands how impactful a small solar plant can be to a barber, hairdresser, small food processing plant and small businesses generally where our youth are participating in making their contribution to our national development.

He understands and appreciates the role that young people played in building the nation and driving the economy.

This is why he has appointed young people to the leadership and management of this agency, to deliver not only on the promise of their generation but also on the expectation of millions of unconnected people who are living without electricity.

This is why he has constituted a Board of Experience and Youth in this critical agency.

I hope and expect that all of us will rally round and support this new team to deliver on their mandate.

On behalf of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, I promise our fullest support.

It is therefore with pleasure that I formally inaugurate the Board of the Rural Electrification Agency and wish them success in the implementation of the Rural Implementation program.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing