Federal Ministry of Works

Jul

2026

LATEST PRESS

MINISTER UMAHI: LAGOS–CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY DESIGNED TO MITIGATE, NOT CAUSE FLOODING

The Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, has dismissed claims that the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is responsible for flooding in parts of Lagos. He insisted that the project is designed to improve drainage and facilitate the evacuation of floodwaters from shoreline communities.

Speaking during an on-the-spot assessment of the completed and ongoing sections of the Coastal Highway with Members of the National Assembly, Senior Special Assistants to the President (SSAs-P), Officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the media, he explained that the Ministry had earlier held discussions with Officials of the Lagos State Government on the need for dredging and other environmental mitigation measures to address flooding in the affected areas.

The Minister attributed the persistent flooding largely to *indiscriminate dumping of refuse, blockage of drainage channels and manholes, and gross violations of environmental regulations* by some residents. He stressed that the highway itself is not the cause of flooding but rather part of its long-term solution.

_"You can see people blocking manholes and creating hazards to the environment. Many complaints about flooding are caused by human activities, not the road project,"_ the Minister emphasised.

Engr. Umahi assured stakeholders that the Federal Government, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, is implementing *environmental remediation measures*, including dredging, drainage improvement, and strict enforcement of the approved “Right of Way.” He warned that structures obstructing drainage channels or violating the approved setbacks would be removed.

According to the Minister, the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway incorporates *modern engineering features*, including adequate culverts, drainage systems, and embankments designed to manage stormwaters effectively. He further explained that the project complements other flood-control interventions such as those around the *Aqua Atlantic development and Oshodi*.

Engr. Umahi informed that the visit is coming at the instance of the directive of *President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR*, whose administration remains committed to protecting lives, properties, and critical infrastructure, while promoting sustainable development.

The Minister announced that a *Stakeholders' Engagement* involving the Senate and House Committees on Works, the Federal Ministry of Environment, Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, Lagos State Government, representatives of concerned Associations of Landlords and other relevant Government Agencies, is scheduled for today, Tuesday, 7 July, 2026. The engagement aims to address environmental concerns, step up awareness campaigns on environmentally friendly practices and the dangers of the unfriendly ones, as well as deepen collaborative efforts in flood management.

He commended *Members of the National Assembly, the Governor of Lagos State, the Minister of Environment, SSAs-P (Community Engagement), Staff of the Ministry, and Hitech Construction Company, and other stakeholders* for their cooperation and assured residents that blocked drainage channels and refuse dumps along the project corridor would be cleared.

The *SSAP on Community Engagement, South West, Moremi Ojudu,* called for collective responsibility in addressing environmental and human factors, emphasising the President's commitment to environmental sustainability. The *Director of Environmental Impact Assessment,* Federal Ministry of Environment, highlighted the growing impact of climate change and the unique environmental challenges facing Lagos. On the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Project, she confirmed that approval was given before its commencement.

Commenting, the Minority Whip of the Senate, Sen. Onyekachi Nwaebonyi stated *the history of flooding in Lagos is as old as the city itself, and we have seen, as a Parliament, that the reason for the flooding is not the Coastal Highway.”*He advised that the opinions of environmental experts be adhered to in finding remedial and preventative solutions to a global problem.

In their separate remarks, the *Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Allwell Onyesoh*, and the *Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi* commended the Minister's swift response to Mr. President's directive. They observed that flooding existed before the commencement of the Coastal Highway, ascribing it to the effects of global warming, requiring proactive solutions.

To further safeguard the completed sections of the Highway, the Minister directed the *Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Engr. Olufemi Dare* to ensure full compliance with environmental safety standards. He also announced the recruitment of *40 personnel — 20 for day duty and 20 for night* — to monitor the highway, prevent stealing and vandalisation of road furniture, and discourage illegal dumping of refuse.

Engr. Umahi concluded by guaranteeing residents along the alignment that all environmental concerns raised during the inspection would continue to receive prompt attention through sustained stakeholder engagement and effective mitigation measures.

May

2025

FG PRIORITISES EMERGENCY WORKS ON BENIN–SAPELE ROAD, REAFFIRMS SWIFT INTERVENTION ON FAILED OBAYANTOR STRATEGIC AXIS The Federal Ministry of Works has reiterated its commitment to urgent intervention on the severely deteriorated Benin–Sapele Road, particularly the section leading towards Obayantor in Edo State. This pledge follows a formal appeal by the Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA), which highlighted the road’s deteriorating condition and its serious socio-economic impact. During a strategic meeting held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of State for Works, Bello M. Goronyo, Esq., who represented the Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. (Engr.) David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE expressed concern over the insecurity and economic paralysis stemming from the road’s poor condition. In his remarks, Goronyo stated: “I have listened with a heavy heart to your presentations. The kidnappings along that corridor, the economic losses, and the direct threat to food security are not palatable. This is not just about roads; it's about national stability and the well-being of our people. I assure you that the Ministry, under the leadership of Engr. Umahi is committed to acting swiftly and decisively.” The Managing Director of Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA), Dr. Adekanmbi Samuel gave a detailed account of the challenges along the 24-kilometre stretch, emphasising the insecurity, economic dislocation, and impact on agriculture and power infrastructure. He stressed the importance of inter-agency collaboration in supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergency declaration on food security. Earlier, the Director of Highways, Bridges and Design, Engr. Bede Obioha, who stood in for the Permanent Secretary, acknowledged the urgency of the issues raised and commended the spirit of cooperation. “We welcome engagements like this as they help us identify critical gaps. This Ministry remains responsive and committed to resolving transport-related challenges, wherever they occur,” he affirmed, assuring that the concerns raised would be captured for prompt action. ...

May

2025

FG REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO TIMELY DELIVERY OF THE EXPANSION OF ABUJA (MARARRABA)-KEFFI ROAD PROJECT -ASSURES OF COMPLETION BY JUNE 2026 The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the timely completion of the Abuja (Mararraba)-Keffi Section of the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Dual Carriageway. This was the outcome of the inspection conducted on the project site today, Saturday, 10th May 2025 by the Honourable Minister of State for Works (HMS), Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Esq., accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Olufunsho O. Adebiyi and other officials. While fielding questions from the media, the Minister confirmed that the project constitutes Section I of the contract, which spans 43.65 kilometres on one side and totals 87.3 kilometres for both carriageways. According to him, this road corridor is a critical segment of the larger Abuja–Lafia-Makurdi-Enugu–Port Harcourt route designed to enhance mobility, reduce travel time, and stimulate economic activities across the FCT, Nasarawa, Benue, Enugu, Abia, Imo and Rivers States. Commenting after the inspection, Goronyo expressed satisfaction with the current pace of work, having achieved 42% completion. He remained optimistic that by the June 2026 dateline, the project would be completed, assuring Nigerians of the Federal Government’s commitment to delivering life-transforming infrastructure that will enhance economic growth, improve regional connectivity, and enhance the quality of life. “This is a commendable progress. Our goal is to ensure that the full stretch from Abuja to Port Harcourt is completed by June 2026. We appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for prioritising this critical and life-changing infrastructure that would significantly enhance the national economy and facilitate the movement of goods and services,” the Minister disclosed. He also assured that funding will not hinder the project’s execution. “This is a priority project under a special funding arrangement. Once certified payment claims are submitted, the Ministry is ready to process and disburse funds without delay,” he further stated. Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works (FCW) for the FCT, Engr. Yakubu Usman provided a technical update on the project. It features a two-way six-lane structure with outer shoulders but lacks inner shoulders, which the reconstruction aims to improve for better traffic flow and safety. According to him, they have done the site clearing, and scarification, while the stone base and binder coarse are at 80% completion. “We are also advancing work on the median drains and rigid shoulders,” he said. Acknowledging challenges posed by high traffic and densely populated areas along the corridor, the Controller disclosed that they are partnering with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other law enforcement agencies to ensure a free flow of traffic while carrying out their job. He also informed the audience that the contractor has resorted to working only at night in critical areas to minimise disturbances to public activities during the daytime. The Project Manager, China Habour Engineering Company (Nig.) Ltd. (CHEC), Mr. Ronald Liao, expressed confidence that with the support from the Ministry and relevant stakeholders, the company will deliver the project in a record time, according to the project’s design. ...

May

2025

THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT FOR INSPIRING GENERATIONS OF NIGERIAN NATIONALITIES WITH A PURPOSEFUL AND ALL- INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP. YOUR STATE VISIT TO ANAMBRA STATE ON 8TH MAY 2025 UNDERPINS YOUR SENSE OF EGALITARIANISM -WORKS MINISTER, SEN.UMAHI The Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON profoundly thanked the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his State Visit to Anambra State, South East of Nigeria, on 8th May 2025. Mr. President's sense of inclusive leadership and commitment to an egalitarian nation speaks volumes in his words during the event, "Anambra has huge potential, and with Soludo, we can all work together to fast-track the vision." "We will continue to partner with your State to deliver shared prosperity to Ndi Anambra and all Nigerians." The Honourable Minister deeply appreciates Mr. President and assures him that as a people of gratitude, Anambra State and indeed South East will continue to cherish and honour him and will overwhelmingly reciprocate his unwavering love for Ndigbo come 2027 General Elections. He expresses gratitude to Mr. President for prioritizing South East in the national development architecture of the Renewed Hope administration and for guaranteeing its actualization in policy and implementation. By Mr. President's words in Anambra State," We are working to build critical infrastructure — roads, rail, and power — and ensure that every corner of Nigeria, including Anambra, feels the impact of governance that works. The Presidential Power Initiative and the ongoing digital economy drive will open more doors for the resourceful people of this State," he has continued to inspire generations of Nigerian nationalities with a purposeful and inclusive leadership and this underpins his sense of egalitarianism. God bless Mr. President. ...

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PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

Nov

2025

OTHER NEWS

Jan

2022

Director Engineering, Olurinola Bows Out Of Service In Style

.... He is a Seasoned Engr - Perm Sec

Engineer Julius Sunday Olurinola, Director Engineering Services in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 meritoriously completed the mandatory 35 years in the Nigeria civil service and bowed out graciously. He joined the civil service as a Pupil Engineer in the Federal Ministry of Works in 1987.

Babangida Hussaini, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry described him as a seasoned engineer whom he has worked with for a period of about six years. Hussaini spoke during the send-forth reception organized for the retiring Director by the staff of the Department of Engineering Services of the ministry.

The Permanent Secretary said “I have worked with him and I must say I enjoyed his professionalism and timeliness in the manner he addressed some engineering issues in the Ministry.”

Hussaini commended Olurinola for his contribution to the Renewable Energy (on –grid) in the Ministry saying, “With this achievement and many others, you are leaving the service with your integrity and respect intact.” he said.

As an Engineer in the employ of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Engineer Julius served as Director and Head of Department Engineering Services and Director (Electrical) in the same Engineering Services Department.

He held these positions all in the then Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Federal Ministry of Power Works and Housing, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.

Engineer Olurinola, as Director Engineering Services was responsible among others for; overseeing design, specification of standards, preparation of contract document for all engineering projects in building services and engineering infrastructure for roads, electricity and water in public buildings and housing estates.

Goodwill messages and encomium were poured on him by Staff of the Ministry both serving and retired all pointing to his kindness, professionalism, commitment and versatile knowledge in the Built industry, roads and housing.

A former Retired Director of Engineering Services of the Ministry, Engr Sunday Umanah described Engineer Julius as a versatile engineer and a great achiever.

According to him, as a versatile engineer he represented the Ministry in several engineering for a creditably.

“He has at a point, represented the Ministry in the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Nigeria Energy Support Programme on Renewable Energy (on –grid), Energy Efficiency,” he said.

Engineer Olurinola was also involved in many adhoc assignments in the Ministry's projects namely: the Kuje prototype housing estate; 6 No. New Federal Secretariat Buildings in each of the geopolitical zones of the country; Prototype housing estate in Suleja, Niger State; Prototype housing estate, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos State and in the provision of Solar lighting system in slum upgrade project in Rivers and Kano States and many more.

In his response, Engineer Olurinola attributed his success to the support of the Honourable Minister, the Honourable Minister of State and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry. He said: “Their leadership, mentorship and guidance was the major boost that kept me on. I am very privileged to have served under their able leadership.”

To his colleagues and other staff of the Ministry, he said they were very supportive. “God has made them a special set of people for the support they have given me all through as a Director and Head of the Department.

SPEECHES

Mar

2021

The Highway Development Management Initiative Ministerial Notice Delivered By H.E Babatunde Raji Fashola, San At The Conference Hall Of The Ministry Of Works And Housing On Tuesday, 22nd March 2021

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our Permanent Secretary has already welcomed you all to this event, the official ministerial notice of the commencement of the Highway Development Management Initiative (HDMI).

What remains for me to do is to get on with the business of issuing the notice for the HDMI to commence the procurement process; after a few preliminary remarks.

As you all know, one of the early initiatives of the Buhari administration was to improve the ease of doing business, and it is no secret that infrastructure was going to be an important driver of this initiative.

Since 2015, the administration has made no pretence about its commitment to improve the stock of infrastructure both in qualitative and quantitative terms in many sectors from roads and bridges, to rail, airports and seaports to mention a few.

Currently the government is executing over 700 different contracts which aggregates to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of over 13,000 km of roads and bridges across all the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory.

As a result of the size of the undertaking, there is an increasing and unsatisfied demand for funding to finance these projects to completion and to maintain them.

There is also the need to finance other complementary services like weigh bridges, rest houses, towing vehicles and road furniture which seem better suited for the commercial initiative of the private sector.

In the interim, government is constrained to borrow, offer tax credit, increase her revenue mobilization capacities in order to sustain this massive infrastructure renaissance.

This is the background to the HDMI which is another effort to mobilize private capacity, resources, and entrepreneurship into the Nigerian highway sector; and hopefully convert roads from just social assets into assets of commercial opportunities and enterprise.

The HDMI is made up of 2 categories namely the Value-added Concessions (VAC) and the Unbundled Assets Approvals (UAA).

The UAA provides opportunity for small businesses to take advantage of the commercial opportunities that are available along the ROW while under the VAC the road pavement and entire right of way is concessioned for development and management by the concessionaire .

The VAC will be rolled out in phases, and this First Phase involves 12 roads namely:

1. BENIN – ASABA (125KM);

2. ABUJA – LOKOJA (193KM);

3. KANO – KATSINA (150KM);

4. ONITSHA – OWERRI – ABA (161KM);

5. SHAGAMU – BENIN (258KM);

6. ABUJA – KEFFI – AKWANGA (122KM);

7. KANO – MAIDUGURI (lot 1 Kano-Shuari 100KM ;

lot 2 Potiskum-Damaturu 96.24KM )

8. LOKOJA – BENIN (270KM);

9. ENUGU – PORT HARCOURT (200KM);

10. ILORIN – JEBBA (129KM);

11. LAGOS – OTA – ABEOKUTA (80KM);

12. LAGOS – BADAGRY (79KM)

These 12 roads were carefully chosen to ensure that each of the 6 (SIX) geo political zones are covered.

They aggregate in total to 1963.24 km which is 5.6% of the 35,000 km Federal road network.

The initial capital investments that we foresee is something in the order of NGN 1,134,690,048,000.76 and the employment potentials are an estimated 50,000+ direct jobs and 200,000+ indirect jobs.

The process started on the 17th June 2020 with legislative consultation to get parliamentary support and endorsement which I believe was successful and we are assured that if there is need for legislative support, the response will be reasonably swift.

It was followed by a Stakeholder consultation (webinar) which held on the 25th June, 2020 with Over 1,173 participants including critical stakeholders such as legislative representatives, representatives from the executive, prospective concessionaires, road users, media and industry experts; a market sounding session was also held on the 31st August, 2020 with 162 participants.

In the course of this journey, we have struck strategic partnerships with some high-profile brands who have offered their services in various aspects of the project development such as KPMG, UK NIAF, Lagos Business School etc.

We look forward to further exploring and strengthening these partnerships and the clear terms of the relationships will be notified to the public in due course as they are important to the success that we expect.

As published, not only has the right of way of the 12 roads been fully gazetted, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) , as a regulatory body for concessions of this nature, has issued the Certificate of Compliance for the Outline Business Case that is necessary to commence the process.

On the 3rd of March 2021, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the highest executive decision-making organ of the Nigerian Federal Government was notified about the commencement of the procurement process.

In order to ensure competitiveness and to guarantee transparency, a procurement portal has been developed to serve as the interface with the public and manage the HDMI from Procurement to Implementation.

The portal will provide:

a. An interface that will provide the public all the information they need to know about the Initiative. It will give access to relevant documents, news updates, videos and so on;

b. E-procurement – The management of the PPP procurement process of the VAC and the process of approvals and permits under the UAA;

c. Vendor Market Place – This has specifically been included to promote local businesses and vendor partnerships with prospective concessionaires.

Therefore, let me say to all those who have been writing letters of inquiry, making offers of interest on the HDMI, offering to provide services like tolling, weigh bridge, rest houses and so on; we are sorry we cannot respond to those letters in order to maintain the integrity of this process and to keep the playing field level.

To all of you and to those who have not written or called, the day is now upon us, the venue is fixed and I have the pleasure to announce that the HDMI portal https://hdmi.worksandhousing.gov.ng/) will open on Monday the 29th March, 2021.

The portal will be open for all HDMI related functions as earlier stated and most importantly the RFQ application for the VAC which will be officially advertised on the same day.

Please visit the portal and I wish you all a very interactive and rewarding experience.

Let me repeat that all our transactions will be done through this portal and we will not entertain any personal inquiries to me or to any of our staff who have correspondingly been mandated not to entertain such requests.

Let me conclude by saying that we expect a vibrant process and a successful one that unleashes the commercial opportunities on Nigerian highways from paved roads, to clean and well-maintained highways, proper signage and route assurance signs, rest houses and commuter support for emergencies like vehicle towing and repairs.

We expect a splendid and safer commuting experience for all users of these roads as a result of the HDMI.

I thank all members of the Ministry and the ICRC and our partners especially KPMG and UKNIAF who worked tirelessly to bring us so far and urge them to prepare for more hard work in weeks and months ahead in order to bring this initiative to conclusion. More grease to their very hardworking elbows.

Thank you all.

Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN
Honourable Minister for Works and Housing