Federal Ministry of Works

Jun

2026

LATEST PRESS

UMAHI ISSUES STRONG WARNING TO NON-PERFORMING CONTRACTORS, SAYS TINUBU MUST NOT BE BLAMED FOR PROJECT DELAYS

The Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, has issued a strong warning to contractors handling Federal Government road projects, urging them to fulfil their contractual obligations and eliminate the factors that give rise to unwarranted criticism of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

Speaking during an extensive inspection tour of ongoing road and bridge projects in Kogi and Edo States, the Minister expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work on some sections of the Abuja-Lokoja Dual Carriageway and the Dualisation of Obajana Junction -Benin Road. He disclosed that, due to funding constraints, the scope of one of the Sections of the Abuja-Lokoja road had to be reduced from 49.28 kilometres to 28 kilometres to concentrate available resources on the most critical portions.

"I am very sad with what I saw on the ground. What was reported to us is not reflected in the actual work being done," the Minister observed.

Engr. Umahi reiterated the Ministry's directive that no section of the Federal highway should remain closed for more than 14 days during construction. He subsequently issued an ultimatum to the affected contractor to complete the required section within the stipulated period or risk termination of the contract.

The Minister, however, commended Messrs JRB Construction Company for the quality and pace of work on its project, describing the company as a model of professionalism and commitment. According to him, "If everybody does his job accordingly, there will be no reason to shift the blame to Mr. President."

He also issued a 72-hour ultimatum to GELD Construction Company, handling one of the sections, to effectively utilise funds already released to demonstrate visible progress on the project.

According to the Minister, a substantial percentage of Nigeria's Federal road network had deteriorated before the advent of the present administration, stressing that President Tinubu inherited enormous infrastructure challenges but has continued to make significant strides to restore and modernise the nation's road sector.

He further directed the Federal Controllers of Works (FCW), Engineers’ Representatives (E.R.), and project supervisors to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and enforce greater accountability, insisting that all procurement processes and expenditures must be properly justified.

As part of the inspection tour, the Minister visited the reconstruction of the existing pavement and completion of the additional carriageway on Section III of the Abuja–Lokoja Dual Carriageway, including works being executed by Trucrete Solutions Limited on the Koton Karfe–Abuja alignment.

He also inspected two critical bridge projects along the same corridor, as well as the ongoing dualisation of the Lokoja–Benin Road. The projects inspected include Section I, Obajana Junction–Okene, and Section II covering the Okene–Auchi corridor across Kogi and Edo States.

The Minister further assessed progress on the flyover and interchange components of the project being executed by CCG Contractors, with the flyovers at approximately 80 percent completion and the interchange at about 30 percent.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Allwell Heacho Onyesoh, commended Engr. Umahi for his visionary leadership and firm commitment to ensuring value for public funds. He noted that political office holders can no longer continue to bear responsibility for the poor performance of contractors, stressing that Nigerians expect tangible results and timely project delivery.

Senator Onyesoh also appealed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Federal Ministry of Finance to ensure the timely release of funds for ongoing projects. He added that the Committee would reserve its final assessment pending the level of commitment and progress demonstrated by the contractors.

Similarly, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi, called on all stakeholders to support the Ministry in delivering a quality road network across the country. He emphasised that road development is a collective responsibility and observed that President Tinubu has entrusted the Ministry with the critical task of ensuring efficient project execution.

Addressing contractors, Hon. Alabi assured them that the Federal Government remains committed to meeting all legitimate payment obligations, while commending JRB Construction Company for its significant investment and commitment to Nigeria's infrastructure development.

The Managing Director of GELD Construction Company, Mr. Fadi Azimi, assured the delegation that the company would intensify work and ensure improved project delivery, in line with the Ministry's expectations.

The Ministry reaffirmed its determination to address the challenge of non-performing contractors and reiterated its commitment to strengthening supervision, accountability, and the timely delivery of quality road and bridge infrastructure across the country.

Jan

2021

FG Inaugurates the Sector Skills Council on Construction The Federal Government has inaugurated the Sector Skills Council on Construction with the core mandate of tackling the skills and productive needs of the construction industry. While delivering his speech at the occasion, the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing Engineer Abubakar D. Aliyu, (FNSE), who performed the inauguration pointed out that the establishment of the Sector Skills Council is a deliberate decision of the Federal Government to address the challenges of skills gap, skills supply, skills quality and skills demand of the building sector in the construction Industry. The Minister spelt out the scope of their mandate as follows: Establishment and maintenance of strategy for the coordination and incorporation of emerging trends in skills development, Development of competency standards and qualifications, Developing a sector skill development plan and maintenance of skill inventory, influence how training is delivered in Nigeria, productivity improvement and consistency in reducing skills gaps and shortages. The Council is also expected to inherit the National Occupational Standards in some critical trades, a labour market information system and a secretariat with modest personnel from the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), he added. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Babangida Husseini enjoined members of the newly inaugurated Council to justify the confidence reposed on them by their appointment while urging them to think out ways that the sector can reduce the problem of youth unemployment. He commended the Honourable Minister Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN and the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing for the various intervention programmes they have introduced toward the attainment of the Ministry’s mandate. In his welcome address, the Chairman Inauguration Committee of the Sector Skills Council on Construction, Dr. Samson Ameh Opaluwa disclosed that the National Board for Technical Education had obtained an approval of Government through the Federal Ministry of Education to implement and regulate the National Skills qualification Framework (NSQF) in Nigeria in 2014. He revealed that in constituting the Sector Skill Council, deliberate efforts were made to ensure the representation of a broad spectrum of the stakeholders in the construction industry in Nigeria adding that it was expected to be a stakeholder and private sector –led as two third of the nominees were representatives of the Private Sector while one third was made up of relevant government regulatory bodies and actors in the construction and housing sector. Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Engineer Gianfranco Albertazzi who is also joint Managing Director Borini Prono & Co Nig Ltd pledged that the council will do Nigeria proud by qualifying and equipping a very large number of citizens to contribute more consciously to the county’s development as well as create an informed middle class, trained in the art of building. He called for the support of stakeholders both from the government and private sector to achieve their mandate. Members of the Sector Skills Council include: Federation of the construction Industry (FOCI), representatives of Artisans, Indigenous Contractors, one from each geo-political zone, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Representatives of Awarding Bodies (NIOB), Representatives of training providers, one from each geo- political zone, Facilities Management Consultants, Builders Structure Consultants and Service Consultants. Others are National Board for Technical Education, (NBTE), Director of building services, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Standard Organisation of Nigeia (SON), Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Family Homes Funds Ltd (FHFL), Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), Architects Registration Council (ARCON), Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN) and Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBONI). ...

Jan

2021

FG Reaffirms Commitment to Completing Lagos-Ibadan Expressway .... As works on the 127 kilometre road progresses appreciably The ongoing rehabilitation, reconstruction and expansion of Lagos -Ibadan dual carriage way has reached an appreciable level of completion and the Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to completing it on schedule. This was disclosed by Engr. Funsho Adebiyi, the Director Highways Construction and Rehabilitation of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing during the on-going visit to the project site over the weekend to assess the progress of work done. On the quality of work on the project, the Director said, "We are satisfied with the quality of work going on and we are working to increase the pace of the work. You can see that work is going on simultaneously on all sections of the dual carriage 127 km Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. " Adebiyi explained that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is one of the busiest roads in Nigeria and pointed out that it is a trunk A road located in the South-West region of Nigeria. Adebiyi further explained that because of the strategic importance of the road which connects the Northern, Southern and Eastern parts of Nigeria, the Federal government would do all that is necessary to see that the project is completed on time. "The project is a strategic infrastructure development of Mr. President in bridging the Infrastructure gap of the nation and this demonstrated that the present administration is poised to developing our highways," he said. Speaking on the traffic gridlock that occurred in the early hours of Saturday, the Director explained that it was caused by break down of vehicle and not by the ongoing construction work. He therefore appealed to drivers to be patient and to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition before they make use of the road. On the level of work done so far, the Director of Highways South-West, Engr. Kuti Adedamola said: "We have made a lot of progress. You can see that works on the two sections are going on simultaneously, 35km of the 47km of Section l has been covered giving us about 49.6 percent completion level, while 55.39 kilometers of the 84km of Section II has been covered as well giving us about 56.8 percent completion level." On the quality of work, Engr. Kuti said, “I am impressed with the level of work going on. You can see progress made when compared to the last time we visited. Work has been progressed in the two sections of the expressway. " He further explained that Federal Government was committed to deliver the project on time for the benefit of road users. Speaking on the scope of work, Ogun State Federal Controller of Works, Engr. Umar Bakare stated that the scope involved rehabilitation and widening of the existing expressway, drainage works and provision of expansion joints, hand rails on bridges. He added that the scope will cover repairs of existing bridges and construction of new ones as well as building of toll plaza and installation of street lights. ...

Dec

2020

New Works and Housing Permanent Secretary Resumes The newly redeployed Permanent Secretary to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Alhaji Babangida Hussaini has resumed office. Alhaji Babangida Hussaini was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence before his redeployment to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to take over from Mr. Ernest Umakhihe who was moved to Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. At a brief handing and taking over ceremony at the headquarters of the Ministry in Mabushi, Abuja, the new Permanent Secretary assured management and staff that his leadership will encourage team work anchored on mutual respect. He said "We all come from different backgrounds with different experiences and perceptions but the objective is one; service delivery anchored around serving the people to achieve the agenda of the government." Hussaini, who was the Director Special Projects Unit in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing before his appointment as Permanent Secretary, recalled that he had worked assiduously with the staff of the Ministry under the able leadership of the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing,Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. He said that he would build on the successes, integrity and transparency entrenched in the ministry by his predecessor, Mr.Ernest Umakhihe, as no one was an island of knowledge in service to our father land. Hussaini described his predecessor, Mr. Earnest Umakhihe as a friend, a brother and an adviser and assured all that he would add value to the achievements already recorded by him. He further assured Umakhihe of continued cooperation and support. "We will be working together for the good of our nation because no man is an island, we must interrelate and interdepend on each other." Earlier in his remarks the outgoing Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mr. Earnest Umakhihe described his tenure in the Ministry as short and worthwhile. He said, "its being a short but worthwhile journey. I have learnt a lot from the crop of professionals we have here." Umakhihe urged the staff to accord the incoming Permanent Secretary the cooperation that was given to him. While wishing the incoming Permanent Secretary success, he assured him of his support, adding that they are pursuing the same purpose of achieving Mr. President's mandate for the country . In a vote of thanks on behalf of the management, the Director Human Resources Management of the Ministry, Mr. Abdullahi Umar Utono assured the new Permanent Secretary of the cooperation and support of staff while wishing the former Permanent Secretary success in his new office. Alhaji Babangida Hussaini, a seasoned administrator and technocrat attended the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), Ahmadu Belio University, ABU Zaria and Federal College of Arts Suleija. He served the nation in different capacities including working with international donor agencies. He hailed from Kazaure in Jigawa State. ...