The Presidency has issued a stern rebuke to contractors handling major federal road projects, expressing deep dissatisfaction with the unacceptably slow pace of work on the critical Abuja–Abaji–Kotonkarfi and Lokoja–Benin expressways.
Inspection Tour Reveals Alarming Delays
During an inspection tour led by the Ministry of Works on Monday, January 13, 2026, representatives of the Presidency and the ministry confronted contractors on site. Dr. Abiodun Easiet, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Community Engagement for the North-Central Region, who represented the President, described the contractors' conduct as "unacceptable and unsatisfactory."
He warned the firms against making excuses about inadequate funding, reminding them that the contracts were awarded based on their own assurances of having the capacity to deliver once advance payments were made.
Contractors' Excuses and Shocking Revelations
The contractors, in turn, presented explanations for the delays, citing poor funding and logistical issues. These are the same types of excuses that recently led the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, to terminate about four other road contracts on the same Abuja–Lokoja corridor.
Abubakar Yaba, project manager for CGC Nigeria Limited handling the Lokoja–Benin Road expansion, revealed startling figures. He stated the project was only 38 per cent complete, despite approximately 90 per cent of the contract time already elapsed. The project, which commenced in phases starting from December 2012, has received ₦54.8 billion out of a certified ₦59.6 billion. Yaba highlighted a major challenge: there was no budgetary provision for the project in the 2025 fiscal year.
On Section Two of the Abuja–Lokoja road, a 47.862-kilometre stretch awarded for ₦89.8 billion, the situation was even more dire. Engineering representative Engr. Zira Adamu admitted only 10.21 per cent completion had been achieved, with 66.67 per cent of the time already gone and ₦18.1 billion paid. Project manager Francesco Rizzo blamed a lack of access to trucks and delays in equipment shipment from the UK.
Presidency's Firm Warning and Public Frustration
The Presidency official responded sharply to the funding excuses, invoking the Renewed Hope Intervention Fund. "Mr President assured that Renewed Hope Fund will be channelled to pay for all these, so that shouldn't be a delay," the official stated. "It is because you assured us that you are going to finish this job... Show us your capacity that you can finish this road."
The inspection team observed a notable absence of equipment on site to guarantee speedy work. An anonymous ad-hoc worker on site told The Guardian that the minimal activity was merely "eye service" for the inspectors. "They will all close and that is what has been happening over the decades. Sometimes we wonder if this Abuja–Lokoja road is cursed," the worker, a physics graduate, lamented.
The Minister of Works, represented by officials including the Federal Controller of Works in Kogi State, Engr. Patiko Musa, assured that the ministry would address the contractors' complaints regarding funding and equipment delays, promising immediate decisions.
