Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, says no part of the country is excluded from the ongoing infrastructure revolution under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking to journalists after Thursday’s Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, Umahi highlighted road and bridge projects valued above ₦10 billion being implemented across all states.
He pledged that a detailed list of these projects would be published next week.
“Mr. President has done extremely, very, very well in both urban and rural infrastructure. And I promised that I’m going to publish all the projects—over ₦10 billion—across the entire country
“No section of the state or country is left out in the infrastructural development, roads and bridges.” he said.
On Abuja projects, Umahi said Section One covers 118 kilometres at a cost of ₦286 billion, of which ₦75 billion has been paid—representing 30 percent. Section Two, spanning 164 kilometres, is valued at ₦502 billion, with ₦150 billion released. For the Abuja-Kano project, covering 72 kilometres and costing ₦450 billion, the government has paid ₦45 billion.
He added that 30 percent of the $22 billion Abuja County application project has also been released for ongoing works.
In the North-East, the Minister said funds have been disbursed for all four sections of the Bauchi-Gombe road, while Sukuk bond funds have supported additional Gombe-based projects.
On oil sector infrastructure, Umahi said President Tinubu approved 30 percent of the ₦156 billion allocated for the Nembe Bridge. “Once completed, this will eliminate the need for air-boat transport or flights to oil rigs,” he noted.
He stressed the broader economic benefits of connectivity. “When a road is not connected, you can’t move from one state to the other. It’s tantamount to being in prison because your movement is restricted… Projects bring down costs; the GDP of states is being improved,”
He cited the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, already 85 percent completed in its first section, as having a direct impact on Lagos’s GDP.
Providing updates on reviewed projects, Umahi said the Biu-Numan road in Adamawa, originally awarded in 2020 for 45 kilometres, has been extended to 61.76 kilometres.
He said the Lagos-Shagamu-Ijebu Ode-Ore project, awarded in 2018 and reviewed in 2023, has been allocated an additional ₦11.423 billion, with 25 percent of the work completed.
For Niger State, Umahi said the revised scope includes a new binder crossing and a replacement bridge strand, raising the project cost by ₦8.94 billion.
On the Sokoto-Badagry corridor, the Minister said a second section was awarded to Kebbi, covering 228 kilometres with three-lane roads at a cost of ₦961 billion. An additional 120 kilometres has been completed in Sokoto.
Addressing the recent fatal incident at the Keffi Flyover, Umahi confirmed that three lives were lost, families have been compensated, and the bridge—currently closed to traffic—is undergoing reconstruction.
He reaffirmed transparency in project execution. “You are going to see these projects for yourself. Anytime, any day, I would like to have a debate with anybody that wants more knowledge in terms of our ongoing infrastructure
“The President has done extremely well… I’m very, very grateful to him for the services he’s provided to our nation.”
He concluded by assuring Nigerians that the full report would be made public the following week.
PIAK