The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is ending over three decades of substandard road construction in Nigeria by implementing durable, high-quality infrastructure projects across the country.
Speaking on Tuesday during the inspection of the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano road project, Umahi said the Federal Government had adopted new engineering standards and modern technologies to ensure that Nigerian roads under the Tinubu administration would last between 50 and 100 years without major repairs.
According to the minister, many roads constructed in the last 30 years have been substandard — a problem he attributed to poor construction methods and lack of engineering consistency.
“Each administration works on the same roads every time. The question is why? The reason is our construction method,” Umahi said.
“That’s why I insist that President Bola Tinubu is not constructing roads — he’s building roads.”
He explained that Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria’s road infrastructure goes beyond short-term fixes, adding that the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano highway was designed to set a new benchmark for quality and longevity.
“The roads being built under President Tinubu will last 50 to 100 years. You are not touching them again,” Umahi stated.
“There is none of the major roads built in the last 30 to 40 years that each administration hasn’t returned to work on. That era is over.”
The minister faulted the previous construction model used by some contractors, particularly the practice of mixing ground asphalt with laterite, which he said compromised road durability.
“When Julius Berger was doing the job, they removed the asphalt and said they wanted to grind it with laterite. It’s not a good method,” he said.
“Fresh laterite doesn’t have the same compaction and consolidation strength. That’s why you see failures even while construction is ongoing.”
Umahi also revealed that asphalt roads typically have a lifespan of about 25 years, after which deterioration begins, adding that Tinubu’s adoption of rigid pavement and improved engineering design will extend the lifespan of federal highways to five decades or more.
He further assured Nigerians that Section 1 of the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano project — spanning about 118 kilometres from Kogi to Katari — will be completed ahead of schedule by February 2026.
“The President has already paid over ₦120 billion on this first contract, showing commitment and love for Nigerians, especially our northern brothers and sisters,” he noted.
“Out of the 118 kilometres, 86 kilometres are concrete roads, while 17 kilometres in Kano are asphalt wearing courses. We’re also adding six kilometres by two lanes, now completed, with solar lighting being installed.”
The Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, commended Umahi for his commitment to ensuring timely and quality delivery of the project, describing the Abuja–Kaduna road as economically vital to Nigeria’s growth.
“We are here to serve, and we have no time to waste,” Goronyo said. “With 285 pieces of equipment deployed along the road, we’re determined to meet — or even beat — our completion target.”
Goronyo also praised President Tinubu’s ongoing efforts to accelerate national infrastructure development, saying the renewed approach will restore public confidence in government road projects.
Comments