Again, FG debunks northern marginalization claims, terminates Benin-Warri road contract

The Federal Government has clarified what it described as misleading narratives, the claims in some quarters of regional favouritism and funding misrepresentation in Nigeria’s road infrastructure projects.

There were accusations that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is prioritizing projects in the South at the expense of the North, particularly in the wake of massive publicity around the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, however, insists the facts paint a very different picture.

Speaking in Abuja after a strategic review session with contractors, Umahi dismissed the allegations as baseless, warning that selective interpretation of figures and contract values was fanning needless division.

In a statement on Wednesday by his Media aide, Uchenna Orji, the Minister emphasized that under the Renewed Hope administration, project distribution has been equitable, with even more resources committed to road developments in the North.

Using data from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Tax Credit Scheme, Umahi revealed that only five percent of the road funding allocation went to the South West, while the South East received four percent.

In contrast, he said a single State in the North, Niger State secured 26 percent of the total allocation, “This administration has been extremely fair.

“We must rise above ethnic and regional narratives. A road is not a Northern or Southern project. These are national assets used by all Nigerians,” he cautioned.

He further explained that while the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge have gained visibility due to their political and economic significance, much of the funding attributed to the Tinubu government are actually legacy payments from previous administrations.

Of the ₦195 billion cost for the Lagos-Ibadan road, only ₦33 billion was released under Tinubu to finalize it while the Second Niger Bridge is also undergoing further work on two key link sections, valued at ₦134 billion and ₦174 billion respectively, he pointed out.

In the North, Umahi highlighted several major projects backed by substantial federal funding which include the ₦252 billion Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway, 30 percent of which has already been paid, and the ₦525 billion Section II of the same road corridor, now being constructed with reinforced concrete.

According to him, the North is also home to the 750-kilometre Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina-Kaduna highway valued at ₦825 billion, the Kano Northern Bypass, Zaria-Nkru road, and tax credit projects by BUA and Dangote cutting across Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, and Borno States.

Additionally, Umahi disclosed that the Kebbi axis of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway alone is receiving ₦958 billion for one carriageway, with a second carriageway projected to raise the investment to over ₦2 trillion.

In Sokoto, 120 kilometres of road is being built at a cost of ₦454 billion, “The investments in these regions are no less significant than those in the South, some even exceed them,” he said.

In fact, according to him, a project-by-project breakdown of the four Renewed Hope Legacy Projects showed a 52 percent allocation in favour of the North, while the South received 48 percent.

Umahi also cited projects like the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Superhighway, the Maraba-Keffi road by China Harbour, the Makurdi–9th Mile road, and multiple others across Kebbi and Sokoto States that are being built to the same standards as their southern counterparts.

The Minister also revealed that the Federal Government had terminated the contract of Levant Construction Limited for failing to deliver on the Benin-Sapele-Warri Road (Section 1: Benin-Imasabor).

The project, part of the NNPC Tax Credit Scheme, had suffered long delays and abandonment despite several warnings from the ministry.

According to the Minister, the contractor ignored not just written cautions but also a final termination notice that allowed a 14-day window to return to the site.

“When a termination notice is given to you, it is for you to go back to the site and correct the failings. But they simply refused,” Umahi said.

He added that even the Edo State Government had to step in to fix critical segments of the road to alleviate the suffering of commuters.

With the formal termination now underway, the Minister directed the Permanent Secretary to initiate joint measurement and recall any outstanding advance payment guarantees.

He warned that refusal to comply would trigger referral to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In contrast, Umahi expressed satisfaction with discussions held with two other contractors on the same road, SKECC Nigeria Ltd and Geld Construction Ltd, praising their willingness to return to the site and accelerate work.

He noted that SKECC, although having exhausted its budget, agreed to complete a milled section of one kilometer, while Geld Construction confirmed its readiness to resume.

The Ministry, he said, is open to reviewing the contract terms to reflect rising costs such as the jump in asphalt prices from ₦9,000 to ₦30,000 per square meter.

Geld is also handling other projects, including the Lokoja-Abuja and Itoki-Ikorodu roads, and agreements have been reached for full resumption, he also revealed.

The Minister acknowledged the support of the Delta and Edo State Governments in complementing Federal efforts.

According to him, Delta State is currently constructing three flyovers and has agreed to add 10 kilometers of reinforced concrete road while Edo State is handling about 23 kilometers of critical road sections.

On the Eleme-Onne section of the East-West Road, Umahi clarified that though the ₦156 billion project includes four flyovers and a bridge, only one carriageway had been completed initially, and temporary asphalt overlays at the flyover points were done to facilitate uninterrupted traffic, not to duplicate works.

Reiterating the commitment of the Ministry of Works under the Renewed Hope agenda, Umahi said the focus remains on transparency, durability, and equitable infrastructure development across all regions.

“We are building roads for all Nigerians. There is no North or South in concrete and asphalt,” he said.