The proposed appropriation, presented during the 2025 Appropriation Act performance review and 2026 budget defense before the Joint Senate and House Committees, allocates ₦191 billion for capital expenditure, ₦5 billion for personnel costs, and ₦33 billion for overhead expenses.
Presenting the proposal, the Minister of State for Works and Supervising Minister of FERMA, Bello Goronyo, emphasised that while the Agency possesses the technical expertise required to fulfil its mandate, inadequate funding remains its principal challenge.
He noted that project allocations in the 2026 proposal span all states of the Federation, underscoring FERMA’s commitment to equitable and strategic road maintenance nationwide.
“It is envisaged that, with your support, the implementation of the 2025 five per cent fossil fuel surcharge, as provided under Section 159 of the New Task Force Act, will include FERMA in the distribution template. This aligns with global best practices and will enable the Agency to more effectively fulfil its mandate,” the Minister stated.
Goronyo described legislative oversight and collaboration as critical to the Agency’s progress, adding: “With your approval, we can unlock FERMA’s full technical capacity, accelerate critical road interventions nationwide, and ensure that Nigeria’s roads become true engines for economic growth and national unity.”
In his presentation, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FERMA, Engr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi detailed the Agency’s 2025 performance achievements despite funding constraints.
According to him, FERMA maintained 200.82 kilometers of roads, patched 31,574.29 square metres of potholes, made 1,655.89 kilometers of roads motorable, constructed 10,311 metres of drainage, reinstated 19 washouts, maintained three bridges, and installed 4,013 streetlight poles.
Agbasi, however, highlighted persistent obstacles, including shortfalls in budgetary releases, distressed and ageing pavements, road abuse, and climate change-related emergencies, particularly flooding in vulnerable regions. Security challenges in certain parts of the country also continue to affect operational efficiency.
He stressed the need to harmonise the national budget cycle with procurement processes to ensure projects are executed during the dry season for improved cost-effectiveness and timely delivery.
The Lawmakers commended FERMA’s visible efforts. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on FERMA, Sen. Sahabi Yau, and the Chairman of the House Committee on FERMA, Hon. Engr. Aderemi Oseni acknowledged the Agency’s performance while calling for enhanced value for money and strengthened project delivery standards.
Senator Yau urged the Agency to sustain momentum and improve efficiency in response to legislative feedback.