Federal Ministry of Works

Sep

2026

LATEST PRESS

UMAHI ORDERS IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY INTERVENTION ON BENIN-ASABA ROAD, AND SOME OTHER CRITICAL FEDERAL ROADS

The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Nweze Umahi, CON, has directed the immediate deployment of major contractors to all three sections of the Benin-Asaba Federal Road to restore the failed sections and bring an end to the suffering of motorists and other road users.

This is because, the situation on the concessioned Benin-Asaba Road has reached a point where the overall public interest must take precedence over the existing concession agreement.

Recall that the Honourable Minister of Works was on the Benin-Asaba Road about seven days ago, where he assembled a number of contractors and directed them to prepare for immediate palliative intervention on the affected sections of the road at no cost to the concessionaire. In line with the Concession agreement which requires that before the Federal Government could intervene, the permission of the concessionaire must be required, and that permission was not granted to federal government.

The Minister subsequently proposed three options to the concessionaire, any one of which would have enabled the Federal Government to move in and address the worsening condition of the road. Unfortunately, none of the options was accepted by the concessionaire. Immediately after the Minister left Asaba, the already limited equipment deployed to the road by the concessionaire was further reduced to just one, worsening the situation and increasing the suffering of motorists and other road users.

While the Minister takes responsibility for the concerns and suffering of Nigerians using the road, it is important to state that the concessionaire has also not taken the suffering of Edo people and travelling public sufficiently into consideration by declining all the options put forward by the Federal Government. The concessionaire continues to rely on the terms of the concession agreement entered into by the previous administration, an agreement which weighs heavily against the Federal Government’s ability to intervene quickly in the interest of the public in a situation like this.

In view of this situation, the Honourable Minister of Works has directed the immediate deployment of major contractors within the corridor to all three sections of the Benin-Asaba Road to restore the failed sections and bring relief to the people, with the cost of the emergency intervention being borne by the Federal Government. The Honourable Minister has also directed immediate redesign of the entire route to be rebuilt with reinforced concrete pavement. The public should therefore take note that immediate action is underway to restore every failed section of the Benin-Asaba Road and subsequently rehabilitate the entire sections of the road using reinforced concrete pavement.

2. On the Benin-Sapele Road:
The Governors of Edo and Delta States, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the Federal Government are currently engaged in interventions on different sections of the road to restore the entire route. While some sections are receiving palliative attention, permanent works are also ongoing on other sections.

3. On Ifaki(Ekiti) - Kabba (Kogi) Road:
The Federal Government is engaging both the contractor; Gamji Nigeria Company Limited, and Dangote PLC on immediate emergency and permanent intervention on the most failed sections of the road, while efforts are being made to financially mobilise the company for more extensive permanent work to commence on the axis.

4. On the Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina Road: This is an inherited project involving the dualisation of approximately 350 kilometres, which translates to about 700 kilometers. The project has since been redesigned and is currently ongoing and most sections are being reconstructed using reinforced concrete pavement. From the Sokoto axis towards Zamfara, over 50 kilometres of one carriageway have been fully completed with reinforced concrete pavement. From Zamfara to Katsina, some sections have been completed and palliative works have been ordered over the sections that have not been reconstructed. However, the pace of work slowed down due to the redesign and rephasing of the project. The contractors currently engaged on the road include CBC, SETRACO, Triacta and Mothercat. They are being remobilised to return to site and complete the outstanding works.

5. On the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road: The Federal Government took over the Road project and has currently completed the 118-kilometer mostly on reinforced concrete pavement on lot 1. The Lot 2, which covers 164 kilometres, is over 60 percent completed on reinforced concrete pavement. The Federal Government has also introduced solar-powered light on the entire route of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria - Kano to improve visibility during night travel and enhance the overall security situation on the route. The entire project is scheduled for completion by December 2026.

6. On Bauchi-Jigawa Road: Triacta Nigeria Limited has been mobilised to carry out the necessary interventions on some failed sections and work is currently ongoing in those failed sections.

7. On the Sagamu-Ore Road: 48 Kilometers of the 96-kilometre road have already been completed using reinforced concrete pavement. There is also a 24-kilometre section around Ore which was abandoned by the previous contractor. The Federal Government has directed its immediate restoration to ensure seamless travel. Solar lights are being installed in the entire 96kilometer of the road.

8. On Flooded Sections on Sagamu-Ore-Benin Road: The flooded sections on the same corridor between Sagamu-Ore-Benin Road, as well as other flooded sections in Ondo State, are being designed for emergency procurement and intervention.

9. On the East-West Road:
Some failed and critical sections, including defective sections of bridges along the East-West Road, are being marked out for emergency procurement and intervention.

10. On the Abuja-Lokoja Road:
Several contracts are ongoing along the route, while the three critical sections currently without contracts are being procured for emergency intervention.

11. On the Lokoja-Benin-Warri Road: The President has directed a complete redesign and procurement of the 400-kilometre dualised route covering the uncompleted sections, using reinforced concrete pavement, while palliative works will continue with the contractors currently on the road.

12. On Carter Bridge:
While the Federal Government continues to undertake weekly maintenance of the underwater elements of the bridge. The site has also been handed over to the contractor, CCECC, for the construction of a permanent new bridge, and work has commenced.

13. On the Third Mainland Bridge:
With regard to the defective underwater structural elements, the Federal Government is at the final stage of determining the appropriate intervention for the repair of the affected elements.

14. On the flooded section of the Lagos-Ibadan Road: Work has commenced on the affected section. There are also several flooded sections on federal roads across the six geopolitical zones, largely occasioned by excessive flooding and the effects of climate change. The Federal Government is identifying and marking these sections for immediate attention.

15. On the First and Second Niger Bridges:
Intervention work is ongoing on the approach roads to the Second Niger Bridge damaged by flood and the work is progressing very well. The First Niger Bridge has been closed to traffic to enable immediate repair works. Contractor has mobilized to site and comprehensive rehabilitation of the bridge has started. From Summit Junction to the First Niger Bridge, massive rehabilitation work is also ongoing using reinforced concrete pavement.

16. The Honourable Minister wishes to commend the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the massive work being undertaken on the nation’s roads since the administration assumed office in 2023.

17. It is important to state that when the present administration came into office, there was hardly any part of the country where one could travel for an hour without encountering significant challenges on the road network. The condition of the country’s roads and bridges was a major national infrastructure challenge.

18. Rather than shy away from the problem, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the nation’s road network a priority. Virtually every part of the country became a priority, and the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works, Regional Commissions, Parastatals and other MDA’s has continued to respond extensively to these challenges.

19. The Federal Government is currently working on over 80 percent of the inherited federal roads, an unprecedented level of intervention in the country’s road infrastructure.

20. We ask the public to understand the enormous challenges inherited on our roads and bridges and to take note not only of the problems being solved, but also of the permanent solutions being introduced.

21. A major part of this new approach is the use of reinforced concrete pavement, designed to significantly extend the lifespan of major roads. These roads are expected to last between 50 and 100 years. This means that roads being constructed under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are being designed with future generations in mind, rather than simply providing temporary solutions to today’s problems. And this is a complete departure from the past, when roads often deteriorated only a few years after completion, resulting in a continuous cycle of reconstruction and expenditure.

22. We appreciate the concerns of Nigerians over the condition of some roads presently and the difficulties faced by motorists and commuters who cannot move easily from one point to another. Those concerns are legitimate, and the Federal Government is listening. But Nigerians should also recognise the enormous scale of the problems inherited and the amount of work currently being undertaken across the country.

23. It is simply impossible to resolve every road challenge accumulated over many years of neglect by the past administrations within three years. What is important is that the government is working, the government is responding, and the government is putting permanent solutions in place.

25. We appreciate members of the public who send situation reports on failed roads and other infrastructure challenges. These reports help the Ministry identify areas requiring urgent attention. However, we also appeal to members of the public to report when such problems have been addressed, just as they report when they occur.

24. We are aware of situations where photographs and reports of road challenges continue to circulate on social media even after the Federal Government has intervened and resolved the particular problem.
25. However, the Ministry will continue to respond as rapidly as possible to genuine reports and concerns from Nigerians.
26. It is also important to note that we have compiled a comprehensive record of all inherited, ongoing and intervention projects across the country which is available to the public. This is to ensure that Nigerians have access to information on the infrastructure projects being undertaken nationwide and can fully participate in and appreciate the infrastructure revolution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Jul

2020

SUKUK: Fashola Commends Govt-Private Sector Partnership on Infrastructure Development. Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has commended the partnership between the government and the private sector in the provision of SUKUK financing in roads project across the country. Fashola spoke during a presentation of N162, 557,000,000 Sovereign Sukuk Symbolic Cheque to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Abuja,, Monday, July 20,2020. According to Fashola, fourty-four (44) Federal Roads spread across the six geo-political zones are being financed under this SUKUK roads project. He listed the number of roads project being executed per geo-political zone as follows: North Central having eight, North East Eight, North West Seven, South West Six, South East Five and South South having Ten road each with the breakdown of the financial implication as follows: North Central N26.5b, North East N30.5bn, North West N26.5bn, South east N26bn, South South N26bn and South West N27.05bn. Speaking on the recent public debate on govt borrowing and the concerns being raised by Nigerians, Fashola explained that, with this Sukuk projects distribution, Nigerians will now see where and how the monies were being spent. Fashola also listed the many economic benefits of roads construction to the people, saying that a lot of jobs have been created for labourers, artisans, suppliers of building materials, sands suppliers, farmers and even food vendors who make their daily earnings from the construction sides. "President Muhammadu Buhari has been legitimately distributing wealth through investment in road infrastructure and the 100 million Nigerians he would take out of poverty in a decade would be achieved" he said. Earlier in her remarks, the Minister of Finance Zainab Ahmed, said one of the key pillars of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), is the development of critical infrastructure projects with a view to removing the impediments to growth and development in the economy. She explained that, the President through the annual budgets had prioritized capital expenditure on the development of roads, rail, power and agriculture infrastructure projects. She stated that the amount N162, 557,000,000 now released signified the 100 per cent full deployment of the total amount raised by the Debt Management Office (DMO), dedicated to roads project The Director General Debt Management Office (DMO), Dr. Patience Monica said also that the released of this N162, 557,000,000 was the third and final release of the SUKUK secured financing for road project out of the total N462, 5577,000,000 raised by the DMO. Chairmen of relevant National Assembly Committees that attended the symbolic public presentation of the cheque include: Committees on Works and that of Aids, local and foreign debts of both chambers (Senate and House of Representatives. In separate remarks, the Chairmen Senate Committee on Works, Senator Adamu Alieru and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Honourable Kabiru Bichi expressed satisfaction with the zeal to work demonstrated by the Minister of Works and Housing and the quality of work done by the contractors and promised that the National Assembly would collaborate fully with the executive to ensure that Nigerians enjoy good quality roads. Responding on behalf of the Contractors, the Managing Director of Reynolds Construction Company, (RCC) Nigeria Limited, Engr. Nabeel Esawi, appreciated the effort of the government in promoting roads financing through SUKUK. He promised government that, with this positive development of funding, contractors would take full advantage of the coming dry season to achieve more and recover the time they had lost as a result of COVID 19 lock down. "SUKUK is gradually changing the face of Nigerian road to the better. Our Bulldozers and Machineries will speak for us " he said ...

Jul

2020

Fashola Inaugurates Presidential Committee on Zik Mausoleum, Urge Members to Protect the Facility The Honourable Minister for Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN has inaugurated the Presidential Committee for the Management and Maintenance of the Zik Mausoleum and Conference Centre, Onitsha. Speaking during the occasion conducted virtually, Fashola, who noted that the National Public Buildings Maintenance Policy provides a framework and attendant guidelines for the maintenance of Federal Government owned buildings across the country, charged members to ensure proper maintenance and protection of the facility. He said, “The Committee will take responsibility for the effective maintenance and management of the facility in accordance with the National Public Maintenance Policy and ensure its protection, work at optimal capacity and attain its full life span.” Mr. Fashola said the purpose of setting up the Committee was borne out of concerns expressed at the inauguration of the building on the need to ensure the Mausoleum served the purpose for which it was built which included honoring Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, propagate his ideals and promote tourism. Speaking on the commitment of the administration to infrastructure development, Mr. Fashola said, “facility management and maintenance is one of the cardinal points of the Buhari led administration which aimed at prolonging the life of the infrastructure, support Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and drive employment”. Terms of reference for the committee Include: Liaise with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to draw up strategies and the framework that will guide the Committee in the effective maintenance of the facility, determine the composition of the professionals to be involved in the management and maintenance of the facility and make recommendations to government on ways of using the facility to project the nation’s rich cultural heritage. The acting Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Engr. Yemi Oguntominiyi expressed his gratitude to the Federal Government for the inauguration of the Committee to safeguard the structure and urged members to work assiduously to achieve result. Speaking earlier, the Director Federal Public Asset Management Department (FPAN), Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Arc. Tina Onokwai disclosed that the project was initiated to serve as a national monument and a tourist centre in memory of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, first President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. She added that it consists of a mausoleum and an administrative block and conference building. The Director further said that the infrastructure which commenced in 1997 and attained completion in October 2018 was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari on the 24th of January, 2019. Ach. Onokwai said that the need to ensure its maintenance and optimum use informed the setting up of the Committee. Members of the Committee are: Mrs. Osuagwu Victoria, representing the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr. Gabby Onyejekwe, representing the government of Anambra State, Ms Sandra Ngozi Azikiwe, representing the Azikiwe family, Mr. Nnaemeka Maduegbuna, representing the Obi of Onitsha, Arc. Tina Onokwai representing the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Mrs Aileru Abosede Jumoke, representing the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Members of the committee will choose their Chairman and Secretary at their inaugural meeting. ...

Jul

2020

FG To Replace Collapsed Wase Bridge With Concrete Bridge * Government will provide temporary relief to facilitate movement among affected communities, says Fashola * Governor Lalong commends Minister for quick response to the situation The Federal Government is to build a concrete bridge over the Wase Waterways in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State as replacement for the recently collapsed Wase Bridge in the State, Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has disclosed. Fashola, who spoke in Abuja on Monday when he met with the Plateau State Governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, said the Government would meanwhile provide a short term relief to facilitate movement among the communities disconnected as a result of the collapse. The Minister, who said the temporary relief would be undertaken by the Federal Controller of Works in Plateau State in collaboration with the State Government and Chairman of Wase Local Government, added that the new concrete bridge would be a long term solution to the perennial problem which the bridge had suffered as a result of heavy rainfall. Explaining that the design of the bridge would take his Ministry’s design team about eight weeks to complete, the Minister, however, added that the final implementation of the concrete bridge plan would depend on the availability of fund. He commiserated with the Government and people of Plateau State over the collapse of the bridge, which was as a result of a heavy downpour, and commended the Governor for his quick response to the natural disaster pointing out that the Governor put a call to him as soon as the incident occurred which enabled him to schedule the meeting. “Our intention is to do a design with a new concrete bridge across the waterways and that will take us about eight weeks going by the design team of the Ministry”, he said. In his response, the Plateau State Governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, thanked the Minister for scheduling the meeting within a short notice and assembling the relevant departments with the view to finding short and long term solutions to the problem adding that he was motivated to call the attention of the Minister immediately due to the extent of damage to the Bridge. The Governor, who was full of gratitude to the Minister for the outcome of the meeting, explained, “Because of the level of damage on the bridge and the importance of the bridge to the State, I quickly put a call to the Minister to which he responded by calling for this meeting. I thank him for the time line given in addressing the issue”. ...