Nigeria’s Federal Government has set aside N431bn for road contractors. David Umahi, the Minister of Works, announced this at a meeting in Abuja with contractors and ministry directors.
Umahi stressed the need to boost the quality of dualized roads nationwide. To ensure quality, he introduced a performance bond. This bond ensures all new projects meet a 10-year standard.
“We aim to upgrade the dualized roads across the country,” Umahi said. He added, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation covers 50% of the contract cost until 2025.”
According to a report by Politics Nigeria, he urged contractors to speed up their claims process. “Without the necessary certification, we can’t release the N431bn. If you’re in Phase 1, submit your claims quickly,” he said.
Blessing Lere-Adams, the Director of Information, Press, and Public Relations, shared more details. Umahi suggested contractors focus on one lane if they’re behind schedule. He insisted on road longevity, stating roads should last at least ten years.
Umahi was firm on no excuses for road failures due to overloading. He encouraged the use of concrete technology in roadwork, similar to India and Singapore.
According to Politics Nigeria, Umahi also touched on the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.’ He noted the administration oversees 18,000 kilometres of roads with projects worth about N14.1tn. They’ve allocated N4tn to these projects, some ongoing for decades.
He also highlighted some contractors who had inflated costs, which led to payment delays. As Nigeria pushes forward, collaboration and transparency between the government and contractors remain key.
