By Danjuma Amodu
The Federal Government has bypassed the concessionaire and ordered major contractors to immediately mobilise to all three sections of the Benin–Asaba Federal Road for emergency repairs, with the government to bear the full cost.
The directive was issued on 8th September 2026 by the Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Nweze Umahi, CON, after repeated efforts to secure the concessionaire’s permission for intervention failed, worsening conditions for motorists on the strategic corridor.
In a statement by Francis Nwaze, FIPMD, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Umahi said the road had deteriorated to a critical point requiring urgent government action to protect road users and restore normal movement.
According to the Ministry, the Minister inspected the route about a week earlier and assembled contractors to carry out palliative works at no cost to the concessionaire. However, the concession agreement requires federal permission to intervene, which was not granted.
Umahi subsequently presented three options to the concessionaire to enable government action. None was accepted. The Ministry added that shortly after the Minister left Asaba, equipment deployed by the concessionaire was further reduced to just one, compounding hardship for commuters.
In response, the Federal Government will now fund and execute emergency repairs directly. Umahi has also ordered the immediate redesign of the entire Benin–Asaba route for reconstruction with reinforced concrete pavement to provide a durable, long-term solution.
The Ministry said similar emergency and permanent interventions are ongoing on other critical federal corridors across the country.
On the Benin–Sapele Road, Edo and Delta State Governments, the NDDC and the Federal Government are carrying out palliative and permanent works on different sections.
For the Ifaki–Kabba Road linking Ekiti and Kogi States, the Federal Government is engaging Gamji Nigeria Company Limited and Dangote PLC for emergency and permanent works on the worst sections, while mobilising the main contractor financially for broader works.
On the 350km Sokoto–Zamfara–Katsina dualisation, the project has been redesigned for reinforced concrete pavement. Over 50km of one carriageway from Sokoto towards Zamfara has been completed, with other sections between Zamfara and Katsina also finished. Contractors including CBC, SETRACO, Triacta and Mothercat are being remobilised.
On the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Road, Lot 1 covering 118km has been completed, mostly with concrete pavement, while Lot 2 covering 164km is over 60 per cent complete. Solar-powered lighting has been installed along the entire corridor, with full completion scheduled for December 2026.
Triacta Nigeria Limited has been mobilised to the Bauchi–Jigawa Road. On the Sagamu–Ore Road, 48km of the 96km stretch has been completed with concrete pavement, while the abandoned 24km section around Ore has been slated for immediate restoration. Solar lighting is also being installed on the corridor.
Flooded portions of the Sagamu–Ore–Benin Road and other flood-affected sections in Ondo State are being designed for emergency procurement. On the East–West Road, failed sections including defective bridges are being prepared for emergency intervention.
For the Abuja–Lokoja Road, several contracts are ongoing while three sections without contracts are being procured for emergency works. On the Lokoja–Benin–Warri Road, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the redesign and procurement of the 400km dualised route with concrete pavement, while palliative works continue.
In Lagos, weekly maintenance of Carter Bridge’s underwater components is ongoing and CCECC has been handed the site for a permanent replacement bridge. Work has also started on the flooded section of the Lagos–Ibadan Road.
On the First and Second Niger Bridges, work is ongoing on flood-damaged approaches to the Second Niger Bridge. The First Niger Bridge has been closed for comprehensive rehabilitation, with the contractor mobilised and massive works ongoing from Summit Junction using concrete pavement.
Umahi commended President Tinubu for massive investments in road infrastructure since 2023, noting that over 80 per cent of inherited federal roads are currently being worked on. He said the administration’s use of reinforced concrete pavement is designed to extend road lifespan to between 50 and 100 years.
“We appreciate the concerns of Nigerians over the condition of some roads and the difficulties faced by motorists. Those concerns are legitimate, and the Federal Government is listening,” the statement said.
The Ministry said a comprehensive record of inherited, ongoing and intervention projects nationwide has been compiled and made available to the public to promote transparency.
