Federal Ministry of Works

Jul

2026

LATEST PRESS

PRESIDENT TINUBU REITERATES COMMITMENT TO QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY AT THE 34TH COREN ENGINEERING ASSEMBLY

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has reaffirmed the Federal Government's unwavering commitment to strengthening engineering regulations, promoting quality infrastructure, and safeguarding public safety across Nigeria.

Represented by the Honourable Minister of Works, *Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE *, while declaring open the 34th COREN Engineering Assembly, the President described the Assembly’s theme, *"Advancing Public Safety in Nigeria through Strategic Engineering Regulatory Enforcement and a Tiered Sanctioning Regime,"* as timely and relevant to the nation’s developmental aspirations.

The President stated that engineering remains the backbone of national development and that effective regulatory enforcement is essential for protecting lives, ensuring quality infrastructure, and restoring public confidence in the engineering profession.

He stressed that regulations are not intended to punish professionals but to protect public interest, noting that *” no road, bridge, or building is more valuable than human life.”*

President Tinubu assured participants that his administration remains fully committed to completing the four (4) Legacy Road Projects across the six geopolitical zones, under the Renewed Hope Agenda. He described them as strategic investments that will transform the nation’s economy, improve connectivity, and stimulate sustainable development.

The Honourable Minister of Works commended the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) for choosing an apt theme that aligns with the Federal Government’s vision for quality infrastructure delivery and adherence to public safety.

He noted that engineering is a profession where mistakes can cost human lives, emphasising that, unlike many other professions, there is often no opportunity for appeal after a structural failure. He, therefore, called for stronger regulations, strict enforcement, and effective sanctions against unqualified practitioners and professionals, who compromise ethics and standards.

Engr. Umahi stressed that site engineers must discharge their responsibilities professionally and should never allow contractors to dictate engineering decisions. He urged Council to strengthen its disciplinary mechanisms, similar to other professional regulatory bodies, to ensure that only qualified engineers are allowed to practice.

The Minister highlighted the achievements of President Tinubu’s administration, especially the ongoing Legacy Road Projects spread across all the geopolitical zones, designed to improve economic integration, enhance national security, create employment opportunities, and stimulate investment.

He expressed confidence that with continued discipline, transparency, and adherence to engineering ethos, Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit would be significantly reduced within the coming years.

Presenting the *Keynote Address* on behalf of the Honourable Minister, the *Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr. Rafiu Adeladan,* stated that the Renewed Hope Agenda places infrastructure development at the centre of Nigeria’s economic transformation. He explained that the Ministry is implementing four major Legacy Projects across the geopolitical zones to connect communities, promote commerce, improve national integration, and encourage investment.

The Permanent Secretary emphasised that quality assurance, competence, professionalism, and independence amongst stakeholders remain fundamental requirements for sustainable infrastructure development. He urged engineers to uphold ethical standards, comply strictly with engineering regulations and best practices, and strengthen resilience through adherence to due process

The Chairman of the occasion, *Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON,* represented by *Prof. Hassan Umaru* described the Assembly as timely and significant, noting that engineering excellence remains the foundation of public trust, industrial competitiveness, and national development.

He observed that every infrastructure project must be executed according to approved standards and maintained throughout its lifespan. Drawing from the experience of the *Dangote Refinery* project, he explained that rigorous engineering design, quality control, technical discipline, and strict compliance with standards were critical to its successful delivery.

The Chairman called for sustained excellence within the engineering profession and urged COREN to continue strengthening regulatory frameworks, while enforcing disciplinary measures against erring practitioners, in order to safeguard lives and property.

In his *Welcome Address,* the *President of COREN, Engr. Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, FNSE,* outlined the Council’s statutory responsibility of regulating engineering education and practice in Nigeria, in line with international standards and recommended practices.

He explained that engineering graduates are expected to undergo mandatory industrial training before participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), describing practical exposure as critical to professional competence.

Prof. Abubakar further disclosed that COREN has successfully introduced digital verification and enforcement systems to improve transparency, eliminate fraudulent practices, and strengthen regulatory compliance.

He assured members that the Council would continue to uphold integrity, professionalism, and accountability, while addressing attempts by some practitioners to circumvent established standards. According to him, engineering regulation must remain transparent, sustainable, and effective in preventing infrastructure failures across the country.

In his introductory remarks, *Prof. O. A. U. Uche* emphasised the importance of sustaining quality infrastructure development through continuous improvement in engineering practice. He described infrastructure development as a collective responsibility requiring collaboration among government, professional bodies, academia, industry, and private sector stakeholders. In this vein, he, therefore, called for stronger synergy in advancing engineering excellence and national development.

The *Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Bosun Tijjani*, stated that science, technology, and engineering remain critical drivers of economic growth, innovation, and public safety. He pledged continued collaboration between the Ministry and engineering regulatory agencies.

Representing the Nigeria Governors' Forum, the *Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang,* opined that engineering is one of the most respected professions globally and emphasised the need to create an enabling environment for engineers to thrive, while sustaining public safety and economic development.

The *National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda*, commended COREN for its achievements in regulating engineering practice. He described engineers as the backbone of national development and praised the Federal Ministry of Works, under the leadership of Engr. David Umahi for the remarkable progress recorded on the four Legacy Road Projects and others across the six geopolitical zones.

He congratulated the Ministry for its commitment to quality infrastructure and affirmed that Nigerian engineers continue to distinguish themselves through professionalism and excellence both nationally and internationally.

The 34th Engineering Assembly reaffirms
COREN’s commitment to strengthening engineering regulations, enforcement, and a tiered sanctioning regime to ensure public safety and sustainable infrastructure development in Nigeria.

Jul

2023

Permanent Secretary - Mamman Charges COREN .....Halt Building Collapse Now. The Permanent Secretary FMW&H, Mahmuda Mamman has charged the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) to strategize and ensure a halt to incessant building collapse in Nigeria henceforth. The Perm. Sec made this disclosure during a courtesy visit of members of the council led by its Registrar, Engr. (Prof) Adisa Bello to the Ministry’s Headquarters office in Abuja. Mr. Mahmuda Mamman speaking further said that, COREN being a Federal Government Recognized Regulatory Body is vested with the elaborate Mandate and Powers to check and control building standards in Nigeria. To this end he opined that there should be no more cases of building collapse which he frowned at and termed a bad situation that must be brought to a stop. The Perm. Sec, said there seems to be a disconnect somewhere between Nigerian Engineers and COREN and that COREN as a matter of urgency proffer an urgent solution to this situation. Mamman also advised that all Regulators in the Engineering body should come together and seek audience with the Ministry of Finance especially as regards the recent Federal Government Policy directive of self-funding for all such bodies . He further spoke to the idea of the consideration of levies as a way of generating revenues to assist the council. He thereafter charged the council to come up with implementable plans and guide lines by going back to the drawing board for them to be able to reposition COREN for better performance and impactful services to Nigerians. Mamman appreciated the visit which he said was very fruitful and he is better informed now than before on the activities of COREN, while also directing that proper checks and registration alongside mandatory monitoring be carried out on construction activities that will end up in Nigerians living in well-built solid buildings with confidence without any fear of building collapse, come rain, come sun shine nationwide in Nigeria. Earlier, the Registrar of COREN, Engr. (Prof) Adisa A Bello, said they were in the Ministry to brief the Perm.Sec on the activities of the Council for the Regulations of Engineering in Nigeria. The Registrar said COREN is a statutory regulatory organ of the Federal Government of Nigeria, established by Decree No. 55 of 1970 amended by Degree No. 27 of 1992, now Engineers (Registration). The Registrar also confirmed that by the promulgation of Decree 27 of 1992, COREN was merely a Registration body of Engineers, and it was then known as Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria. However with the expansion of its functions in 1992, which now includes Regulation and Control of the Engineering Family, COREN's name was changed to what it is now, but still retaining the acronym, COREN. Amongst COREN ‘S MANDATE ARE: It is empowered to: 1. Regulate and control Engineering practice in Nigeria with all its aspects and ramifications, 2. Ensure that Engineering is practiced by industry, Government and professionals according to acceptable and prescribed standards and abiding by the ethics and cannons of the profession 3. Ensuring that only registered Engineers head Engineering departments and Units 4. Ensuring that without proper registration with COREN, Engineering Practitioners do not progress or function beyond legally prescribed levels among other key mandates of COREN. Also in attendance were relevant Directors of Engineering Departments of the Ministry who also contributed to the very meaningful discussions. ...

Jun

2023

FMW&H Assures States of Partnership and Collaboration to Impact on the People The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mahmuda Mamman has assured states of the Ministry's willingness to partner and collaborate with them , he made this disclosure while hosting the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dr Dauda Lawal in the Ministry's Headquarters office in Abuja over the weekend. The Permanent Secretary said ‘’ The Ministry is willing to collaborate and partner with states in order to make life more meaningful for all Nigerians not necessarily the people of Zamfara state because we are here to serve the interest of the country and we are also ready to do that, Your Excellency." While responding to the request of the Governor, he said, FMW&H and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) will work out a plan to be used as intervention strategy on the Funtua–Gusau Road he assured. Mr. Mamman also assert that, “We are touching lives in so many ways and we really want to touch the lives of Nigerians especially the people plying that axis”. Mr Mahmuda has also instructed, the Director, Highways and Reconstruction Engr Folorunsho Esan of the Ministry to mobilize and put necessary machinery in place to ensure that work starts from both ends of Funtua –Gusau Roads in the shortest possible time. The Governor, earlier in his remarks, thanked the Permanent Secretary for granting his request despite the short notice , he said “the reason we are here today is to seek for partnership with FMW&H in different areas of concern , I am aware of what the Ministry is dong, in touching the lives of the people across the country, l am also aware that the contract for the dualization of Funtua -Gusau Road has been signed by the Ministry. Governor Lawal said that they were in the Ministry for two reasons, first to seek for the support of the Ministry to ensure that the contract startes from the Gusau end of the road and to also draw the attention of the Ministry and FERMA to the bad portions of the Gusau –Funtua road, so that it could be fixed before the major work starts for easy movement as the road is in a very bad shape. Commenting on the Governor’s request , Engr. Esan said " Contractors are only waiting for mobilization advance and as soon as that is done, funding will not be a challenge , contractors can start from both ends of the road , there shall be no fear from whatever location they start from, either from Gusau or not ". Director, Highways Construction and Rehabilitation also said that, in 2020 Special intervention projects were signed for Zamfara roads and most of them have been completed. He said " In 2023 we have planned special intervention projects for Zamfara roads as well to make life easy for the people". ...

May

2023

Mahmuda Mamman Resumes as Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Works. ... Promises an open, inclusive administration. Following the redeployment of Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service, the Permanent Secretary posted to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mahmuda Mamman has resumed office today Wednesday,31st May, 2023. While addressing Management staff of the Ministry during the hand over and take over ceremony which took place at the main conference hall of the Ministry's Headquarters at Mabushi, Abuja, Mr Mahmuda promised an all-inclusive and open administration. "We are going to run an open government, an open administration so that we can achieve what we are supposed to achieve" he said He told the Management staff that he is going to rely on their professional advice and support so that critical decisions can be taken to move the country's infrastructural development forward. " You are the professionals, I am here to rely on your advice, guidance and directions for us to do what we are supposed to do but I can assure you that I am a team player and we are going to run an inclusive administration" he said Earlier the Director overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary, Engineer Folorunsho Esan expressed satisfaction that the new Permanent Secretary will provide purposeful leadership to move the Ministry forward due to his wealth of experience. Engineer Esan who gave a run-down of the activities of the Departments, Units and Parastatals of the Ministry, explained that the core Mandate of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing is the provision of roads, housing and urban renewal. In his welcome address, the Director Human Resource Management in the Ministry, Aliyu Abdullahi assured the new Permanent Secretary of the support and cooperation of Management and staff of the Ministry. Mahmuda Mamman is an indigene of Potiskum, Yobe State. A graduate of Political Science from the University of Maiduguri. He started his career as a Civil Servant in May, 1992 as a Personnel Officer II and rose through Promotion to the position of Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health from where he has been redeployed to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. The occasion was also attended by many Directors and Heads of Units from the Federal Ministry of Health who in a show of affection and solidarity graced the ceremony. ...

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2025

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May

2018

Protection Of National Assets: A Pinnacle To Nation’s Development

The Honourable Minister of State II for Power, Works and Housing, Surv. Sulieman Hassan Zarma, mnis, has called for community participation in the ownership of public assets and critical infrastructures in the country, stressing that people in the communities need to be sensitized to take personal responsibility for the protection of public infrastructures.

He added that at a time like this, the federal government still consider as a matter of priority, spending the nation’s meagre resources to provide its citizens with necessary and critical infrastructures.
Hassan stated that ‘It is sad to note that there are lots of damages and inadequate maintenance of these public assets which are yet to meet the need of the citizenry’.

Declaring the workshop opened, the Minister said this at a one Day Stakeholders Conference on Preservation, Protection and Community Ownership of Public Assets and Critical Infrastructure organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Abuja.

He commended NOA for choosing the topic for discussion, adding that the forum will help inform, educate and enlighten the people on the efforts the government is making towards the provision of adequate infrastructures and the need to encourage stakeholders to cherish and preserve them for posterity.

The Minister also stated that the Ministry will continue to make concerted efforts in ensuring that the three Sectors meet up with the mandate of delivering critical infrastructures to Nigerians in the areas of improved power generation, adequate funding and resuscitation of abandoned/new road projects and provision of mass housing across the country.

Earlier, in his remarks, the Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Dr. Garba Abari, stated that infrastructure development, preservation and protection are critical element in measuring the level of development of a nation.

According to Abari, ‘’If we accept this as a fact, it then stands to reason that no nation can be said to be truly developed, unless it continues to invest not only in the development of new infrastructures, but also in the protection and preservation of existing ones’’.

The NOA boss called for collaboration and synergy between stakeholders in Nigeria’s infrastructure and the National Orientation Agency, for the protection and public ownership of national infrastructures in the country.
The function was graced with notable discussants who presented relevant papers on the topic and key note addresses.