FG Commits N1trn to Road Construction, Rehabilitation
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Works plans to rehabilitate and construct a total of 468 roads and highways across the country in the 2025 budget proposal.
It also proposed a sum of N1.013tn to fund the construction of these projects, with the construction of Lafia road and the dualisation of the 9th mile (Enugu) Otukpo-Makurdi (Keffi phase two) getting the highest allocation of N166.004bn.
Our correspondent observed that the number of planned road construction projects decreased by 1,457 from the 1,925 roads proposed in the 2024 budget, but reflects an increase of N547.55bn from the N548.56bn allocated in the same 2024 budget.
A breakdown of the ministry’s line items in the 2025 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly showed that N15.02bn was appropriated for contingency funds and N2bn for the purchase of vehicles for Senior Special Assistants.
The road projects to be executed under the Ministry of Works also indicated the provision of N10bn for the dualisation of Kano-Maiduguri road linking Kano-Jigawa-Bauchi-Yobe and Borno states (Section V), N6bn for the reconstruction of Abuja-Lokoja road, N12bn for the construction of section one of the Kano- Wudil- Shuarin road and N34bn for the dualisation of Kano-Katsina road.
Similarly, N23bn was allocated for the rehabilitation of Enugu-Port-Harcourt section three and four, N75bn for the dualisation of Kano-Katsina road phase one, N6bn for the rehabilitation of Ogoja (Mbok Junction)-Abuochichie in Cross Rivers state, N6bn for the construction of Ibi bridge, while the construction of Bidda- Sacci-Nupeko road and the Nupeko/Patigi bridge will gulp N10bn. N6bn was also allocated to rehabilitate the Damaturu-Biu road in Yobe/Borno states.
In the budget, N6bn was apportioned for the rehabilitation of Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto road, N10bn for the construction of Malando Garin Baka Ngaski Wara in Kebbi state, N12bn for the construction of Ebom road in Cross Rivers, N12bn for the rehabilitation and dualisation of Enugu-Abakaliki Ogoja road and N10bn for the construction of Maiduguri ring roads in Borno State, N15bn for the rehabilitation of failed sections of Bauchi-Jigawa state border road and asphalting of David Umahi Federal Medical University at the cost of N1bn.
N8bn will be used to construct the failed portions of the Lagos-Abeokuta road, N100m will be spent on the Trans Sahara Super highway while N2bn will be used for the Lekki Axial road counterpart funding amongst others.
An analysis of the 2025 budget christened, “Budget of Restoration”, showed that the ministry allocated N4bn for the construction of the presidential Helipad and jetty in Lagos, N5bn for judgement debt, N5bn for the payment of legal fees, N380m for the purchase of solar lights and N280m for the maintenance of seven generators and N1.7bn for the renovation of office building.
Also, N77.1bn was allocated for Public Private Partnership due diligence and negotiation activities, N15bn for an independent engineer for Abuja-Makurdi road, N10.25bn for an independent engineer for the pilot HDMI corridors, N10m for the engagement of media consultants and stakeholders and N580m for the construction of public schools.
Upon assumption of office, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the government inherited 2,604 road projects with a required funding of N13tn but this amount increased to N19tn in October.
He said, “And let me say to him that the projects Mr President inherited were a total of 2,604 projects as of May 29, 2023. The total cost was N13tn. That’s what the President inherited. And a debt to contractors of N1.6tn.
“And when you look at the variation because of the fuel subsidy removal and the floating of the naira against the dollar, if these projects are reviewed, the cost of these projects will increase to N19tn, just to complete the ongoing projects.”
