Federal Ministry of Works

Feb

2026

LATEST PRESS

FG PUSHES AHEAD WITH STRATEGIC ROAD PROJECTS IN BORNO DESPITE SECURITY CHALLENGES

The Federal Ministry of Works has restated its avowed intention to rehabilitate the Maiduguri–Monguno Road (Section I) in Borno State, as work progresses steadily despite prevailing security and logistical challenges.

As the nationwide media tour of the North East Zone continues, the Federal Controller of Works in the State, Engr. Salihu Adamu assured Nigerians that the project will be completed despite persistent security and logistical constraints. “The biggest challenge faced by the contractor is insecurity. There are pockets of attacks on the highways, and this has forced them to take longer and safer routes to source construction materials,” he stated, while addressing the media at the project site in Maiduguri.

The project was initially awarded in 2018 to QUMECS (Nigeria) Limited at a contract sum of ₦21.73 billion, traversing 105.6 kilometres. Following a technical review and scope adjustment, the project was revised to incorporate a flexible pavement structure with asphaltic concrete shoulders, bringing the current contract sum to ₦28.37 billion to reflect prevailing realities and enhanced engineering specifications.

Phase 1 of the project covers 30 kilometres. Significant progress has been recorded, with approximately 5.8 kilometres completed up to binder course level and about 8 kilometres of stone base executed. Clearance works have also extended beyond 15 kilometres, while shoulder construction is ongoing, in line with the Ministry’s revised policy, which replaces surface dressing with asphaltic concrete shoulders to provide stronger structural protection for the carriageway and enhanced pavement durability.

As security remains the major constraint on the Maiduguri–Monguno corridor, Borno State continues to operate under emergency conditions, with base and sub-base laterite sourced from Ngamdu near the Yobe State border (about 150 km away). And stone materials hauled from as far as Shira town in Bauchi State (approximately 450 km) due to restricted access and security considerations like the ban on the blasting of rocks in the state.

The Project Manager for the company, Engr. Bukar Kadai, confirmed that the contractor remains fully mobilised on site with two active teams handling shoulder construction and stone base operations simultaneously, while asphalt laying is scheduled to commence following the delivery of bitumen to the site, soon.

Also speaking on the same project, the Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Maiduguri Branch, Engr. Mohammed Shettima expressed satisfaction with the quality of work, stating that the rehabilitation will ease transportation challenges for residents and road users.

In another vein, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Borno State Council, Abdulkarim Haruna, inaugurated the completed Limited Rehabilitation of Kaga–Gubio Road, Sections I and II outside Benisheik Town, on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE. He described the road as a strategic one for economic empowerment and social inclusion. He stated, “Roads are a means of empowering the people. This road connecting to Benisheik, which serves as a gateway to Maiduguri and Yobe state, is a very positive development.” He further urged the media to continue sensitising Nigerians on ongoing infrastructure reforms and national development efforts of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

The FCW described the Kaga–Gubio Road as a critical intervention, facilitating the movement of agricultural produce into Maiduguri and other parts of the zone, strengthening commercial activities within the corridor. He explained that the project forms part of a broader emergency and special works designed to safeguard existing infrastructure, improve mobility, and support economic stability in areas facing security challenges.

Mar

2020

FG's Road Intervention In FCE Eases Access To Seven Schools - Provost Provost of the Federal College of Education, Katsina, Dr Aliyu Idris Funtua has stated that the construction and rehabiliitation of the 1.22km internal road in the Federal College of Education Katsina by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has provided easy access to seven schools within the college. Dr Funtua listed the schools touches by the road within the College as; schools of education, languages, Adult & nor formal education, sciences, primary education & early childhood care, computer science department, and Art and Social sciences school. Other areas where the road passes are, Library and Girls Hostel. The Provost made this remarks during the handing over of the 1.22km internal road project completed by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. "I remain grateful for this gesture, a commendable intervention. The road is the best road in the school that touches seven schools and has provided ease of access within the college" he said Dr Funtua who commmended the Federal Government and the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, also solicited that the minister to extend another 10km road in the school in the near future. The minister was represented at the handing over ceremony by the Katsina state Federal Controller of Works Engr Tunde Balogun. The Minister said that, " it is undebatable that the quality of education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the leaning environment and those who doubt it should simply listen to some of the feedback from the students of the schools where this type of intervention has taken place." Accordingly, Fashola also disclosed that, out of the forty three of such road intervention in tertiary institutions by his ministry across the country, seven have been completed of which the one in the Federal College of Education Katsina was among Resentatives of the students in the college who spoke include; Zaharadeen Sani, Aliyu Sa'du and Zulaihat Abdulrahim. According to the students, "the poject was timely, beneficial and has eases access to seven schools for our lectures and easy access to Library and Female Hostels" Zaharadeen said ' this is a remarkable achievement since the inception of this administration and we appreciate the minister for this intervention" ...

Mar

2020

Quality Infrastructure, Impacting Quality Education -Fashola The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola,SAN said that the quality of infrastructural development within a country could un-debatably impact quality education and the learning environment. He made the remark at the handing over ceremony of a completed internal road intervention project by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing at the University of Calabar, Cross River state. Fashola who was represented by the Federal Controller of Works Cross River State, Engr. Bassey Nsentip observed that the road completed had enhanced students mobility and reduced stress in the learning environment. He further stated that although the road intervention project was a civil works project, the Federal Government intends to invest in education by improving the ambience and environment of tertiary institutions to enhance academic activities. The Minister also disclosed that the Federal Government is presently working on the rehabilitation of 43 internal roads in federal tertiary institutions across the six geopolitical zones of the country out of which 18 had been completed and being handed over. He said the 1.17km road handed over to the University of Calabar was among such roads, urging the school authority and students to ensure the asset was used and maintained properly. Speaking earlier the Vice Chancellor University of Calabar,Prof. Zana Akpagu who was full of delight for the laudable initiative disclosed that prior to its rehabilitation, the road was in a deplorable state. He added that before the rehabilitation the road was inaccessible for students to go through especially during the rainy season. Prof. Akpagu said the road now enables easy access to the hostels, classrooms, the medical department and the chapel. He thanked the President and the Minister of Works and Housing for the road while believing that the government would do more roads and infrastructural interventions in future to help the university. Also in a chat with the media, the Director of Finance and Supplies Cross River State Ministry of Works,Mr.Ebere Ignatius thanked the Federal Government for the support and pledged more collaborations with the federal government. ...

Mar

2020

Build On Knowledge And Value- Fashola The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has urged builders in Nigeria to deploy knowledge and value in building projects, pointing out that it was the combination of both that give value to building. "We need to build on our knowledge and value. It is these that give meaning to the bricks and mould we use. If we build without knowledge, it will not last, " he said. Fashola made the remarks while receiving the Fellowship Award of the Nigerian Institute of Building in Abuja yesterday. The Minister used the occasion to debunk the news going round that Federal Government was planning to sell un-occupied houses. According to Fashola what the Government was saying was to encourage big house owners to break them to small units so that people can rent or buy them and start to make income from such houses. He also charged builders to build what people can use, instead of building big houses only to be left unused. He said, "Build to the sensitivity of the young generation by building small houses." Fashola thanked the Institute for the conferment of the award on behalf of the Ministry saying that it was a recognition of hard work and team spirit. "On my own, I will do my best to live up to the responsibility of encouraging the building of affordable houses", he stated. Earlier, the National President of the Nigerian Institute of Building, Builder Kunle Awobodu said that, "The conferment of the prestigious honorary fellowship of the institute is the highest recognition to be bestowed on an individual solely based on performance evaluation of which Fashola is a beneficiary." He said that construction of buildings is a barometer of a thriving economy, adding that what distinguishes a city from a town, and a town from a village is the number and quality of buildings. Speaking further, he stated that, " Any nation bereft of building codes is vulnerable to inappropriate building construction." He therefore called on manufacturers of building materials, artisans and professionals that the culture of doing it right must be embraced. He enjoined the Minister not to relent in his efforts to ensure the use of Nigeria's building code to guide building construction in Nigeria. ...