FG Spends N929bn on Road Contract Revisions

The Federal Government has approved a staggering N929.06bn on contract variations and additions to inherited road and bridge projects since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, attributed this to the switch from traditional asphalt to reinforced concrete pavement.

“The cost was reviewed due to design changes, inflation, and the need to fast-track delivery using concrete technology,” he said.

An analysis of FEC decisions revealed that the Tinubu administration approved variations for at least 30 inherited road and bridge contracts nationwide, including high-profile projects like the Abuja-Kano Expressway and Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

Major approvals include N260.1bn for Abuja-Kano Expressway reconstruction; N40bn for Third Mainland Bridge remedial works; N95.2bn for Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Section 2; and N129.8bn for Bodo-Bonny Road and Bridge.

Umahi explained that these decisions were driven by economic realities.

His words, “When we came in, many of these projects were either abandoned or stagnated. The President directed that we must finish what we started, and that means reviewing the terms and funding gaps”.