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.

Aug

2019

FG Committed To Delivering Effective Power Supply To Nigerians – Osinbajo Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday reassured Nigerians that Federal Government was committed to ensuring effective and cost reflective power supply in the country. Osinbanjo gave the assurance during the official inauguration of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) new 2×60MVA, 132/33KV substation and associated 132KV transmission lines in Abeokuta, Ogun. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the vice president inaugurated the 2×60MVA, 132/33KV relief substation for Abeokuta; line bay extension works at Otta, Papalantoro and old Abeokuta 132/33KV substation. According to Osinbajo, this commissioning is an important part of government effort to improve supply and quality of power to homes and businesses in Nigeria. “In past few years, resolving the power problem has been top priority of government of Nigeria. “Today, we have about 13,427 megawatts installed capacity and available capacity of 8,342 megawatts. “This was achieved through the effort of government and private sector partnership on rehabilitation of turbines in Shiroro Egbin, Delta, Sapele, among others,” he said. He assured Nigerians that before the end of 2019, new generation was expected to be injected into the national grid to boost and increase power supply in the country. Osinbajo said the distribution capacity in the 11 Discos were significantly low, hovering at around 4,000 megawatts on average with a peak at about 5,400MW. He added that despite all the availability of about 8,000MW of generation and 7,000MW of transmission capacity, the lack of Disco infrastructure to absorb and deliver grid power to end-users had largely restricted generation to an average of about 4,000MW, and sometimes even falling below 4,000MW. “It is evident that despite all efforts that has been put into trying to expand the grid, the structure of the market today cannot deliver on government’s promises to provide power for domestic and industrial use. “A substantial change of strategy is necessary. There is clearly need for a change of strategy. “What we have done in the past has taken us to a point where there is clearly a change of strategy,” he said. The Chief Executive Officer of the NDPHC, Mr Chiedu Ugbo, said he the new 2×60MVA, 132/33KV substation of Abeokuta, when fully come on stream, would provide reliable power off-take via six 33KV distribution feeders to the state capital (Abeokuta) and its environs. He explained further that the 1×60MVA transformer at Otta would provide additional power supply via three 33KV feeders to Otta and its environs. Besides, Ugbo underscored the importance of the projects and said they would impact positively on power supply to Abeokuta, Otta axis and Papalanto. “NDPHC’s contribution to the tansmission grid system has transformed the hitherto radial 330Kv/132KV grid into a more robust grid system with significant provision of alternative power flow routes which now serve as redundancies and which has resulted in a more reliable and stable Nigeria grid. “Of note in these respects are the commissioning of the over 220KM long 330KV Double Circuit (DC) lines providing alternative supply route into Abuja and the FCT from Geregu. “Through a new Lokoja substation, a new Gwagwalada substation into the existing TCN Katampe and Apo substations with several significant expansion works on existing substation developments along this route,” he said. Agbo said electricity supply to those parts of Ogun along the axis of Otta right up to Abeokuta the state capital were initially via a double circuit 132kV line into Otta, from the mega 330/132/33kV transformer substation at Ikeja west which serves as a marshalling station for several power plant inflows into Lagos. *A 2X40MVA 132/33kV substation was built at this Otta location for supply to Otta and environs. “Out of Otta, a single circuit lower capacity 132kV line was built to connect Abeokuta via an intermediate 132/33kV Substation at Papalanto within the premises of Lafarge Cement Company. “The Abeokuta Substation was also equipped with 2X40MVA 132/33kV Transformers for supplying Abeokuta and its environs. “Over time, all these facilities became overloaded and lacking capacity to cater to growing demands in these locations, necessitating NDPHC intervention. “A schematic overview of the old status and NDPH intervention is attached for visual clarity,” he added. The NDPHC boss said the company constructed a total of 77.5kms high capacity 132kV transmission Lines, thus providing near quadrupling of the supply (wheeling) capacity out of Otta (from 70MW to 250MW) and thereby eliminating supply constraints and attendant load shedding that had existed before at Otta, and Abeokuta. He said that additionally, the NIPP 2X60MVA 132/33kV Substation at New Abeokuta provided reliable 6nos. 33kV distribution feeders to Abeokuta environs, while the added 1X60MVA 132/33kV Transformer at Otta provided additional 3nos. 33kV feeders to Otta environs. The Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Usman Mohammed, said 1.66 billion dollars had been secured from the World Bank and other multilateral financing agencies on network projects. Usman said the financing was raised for the expansion of the national power grid. He said the Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project, which sought to redress certain deficiencies and operating constraints of the power transmission system, was financed by the World Bank and was worth 486 million dollars. “The project is in three stages; two phases have passed pre-qualification state while the third is still on pre-qualification stage. He said the pre-qualification of the Northern Corridor project being funded by the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement) was almost completed. Mohammed said: “The project will cover the closing of loop in-between Sokoto to Kaura Namoda and Katsina. “Environmental Impact Assessment is on-going, verification for compensation for the right of way is also on-going. The project loan is 300 million dollars,” he said. According to him, the Lagos-Ogun transmission project, which is worth $238m, is being financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency. Usman said the project design, EIA studies, technical studies and resettlement action plan had been concluded. He said compensation request had been forwarded to the Bureau of Public Procurement for due diligence which was expected to be concluded in the third quarter of the year. Source: (NAN) ...

Aug

2019

Our Priority Investments In Infrastructure Paying Off - President Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration’s investment in infrastructure like rails, roads, bridges and waterways have started yielding positive results with tangible evidence for all to see. Speaking at the commissioning of the reconstructed Shinkafi-Yandaki-Gafiya—Abdallawa-Dankaba road in Katsina, as part of activities during his visit to the state, the President said the special attention given to infrastructure by his administration will be intensified, since the investments had been justified with more people benefiting. “Infrastructure is vital to economic development. As you are aware, this administration has given special attention to infrastructural transformation of our country. “This is in consonance with the change philosophy of the administration. Such projects and programs form part of our contribution to national development, which are tangible for all to see,” he said. He commended the strategy by Governor Aminu Bello Masari’s administration to make roads motorable throughout the year for citizens, adding “we all know that the economy of Katsina State is agrarian. Our wealth is farming and livestock rearing. Hence the need to open it up through and across all communities so as to maximally tap the abundant agricultural and livestock resources the state is endowed with.” In his remark, Governor Masari said the government “had all along been mindful of the need for infrastructural development across the nooks and crannies of the state.’’ He said the decision had “efficiently and effectively facilitated smooth movement of people, goods and services on trade and commerce, not only within Katsina State but across other neighbouring states.’’ The governor noted that the economy of the state and wellbeing of the people had improved with the focus on infrastructure. President Buhari will commission more projects in the state on Thursday. ...

Jul

2019

Perm Sec Works And Housing Urge Civil Servants To Be More Productive And Goal Oriented The Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mohammed Bukar, urged staff of the Ministry to be goal oriented and more productive with their time. This was at the Productivity Lecture series organized by the National Productivity Centre (NPC) in conjunction with the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, for middle level officers in Abuja. The Perm Sec who was represented by the Deputy Director (HRM) Mrs. Aderonke Jaiyesimi, said in furtherance to transforming the Public Service, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation had fashioned out initiatives such as efficient, productivity, incorruptible and citizen-centred transformation programme. The concept of Productivity according to her was crucial to the success of the Public Service and an epicentre in the current reforms programme of the present Administration; It is a level of efficiency in combing inputs to achieve maximum output by employees in the work places. She therefore urged the participants to embrace knowledge through interacting with the resource persons to make the desired impact on their jobs which would be beneficial to the Ministry in the long run. Speaking at the Lecture, Director, Current Affairs and Information, National Productivity Centre, Mal. Hassan Abdullahi buttressed the fact that productivity was an attitude of the mind and therefore required “doing the right thing and doing things right”. The key words were efficiency, effectiveness, quality, competitiveness and motivation. He further recommended the adoption of the Japanese 5s Housekeeping Practice tools - Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize and Sustain to improve productivity in the work place. He added that the staff productivity level could increase through managing their time, working smarter, improving the efficiency level, getting organized, encouraging teamwork as well as setting SMART targets. Papers presented at the Lecture were Overview of Productivity and Time Management for improved productivity and the objective of the programme was to stimulate the awareness of staff to the imperative of sharpening their competencies for improved productivity and efficient service delivery. ...