Johnchuks Onuanyim 
Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has lamented the deplorable state of federal roads inherited by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, describing the situation as “frightening.”
Speaking after inspecting ongoing works on the Abuja–Lokoja–Okene highway, Umahi explained that the rising cost of construction materials is responsible for the high cost of building roads in the country, with a kilometer now costing over ₦1 billion.
He said: “What is the cost of cement? Cement is ₦9,500 and one meter cubed of concrete takes nine bags. Multiply that by ₦9,500 – that is only for cement. The dollar is being stabilized, food prices are coming down, foreign reserves are improving, yet the cost of construction materials keeps rising. Why should that be?”
The minister stressed that despite the enormity of the challenge, the Tinubu administration has given roads and bridges top priority, recognising their critical role in driving the nation’s GDP and overall growth.
He particularly decried the condition of the Abuja–Lokoja highway but noted that the problem of dilapidated roads cuts across all regions of the country.
“What the president inherited is very frightening. Even if you put all the nation’s resources into rebuilding these roads, it won’t be enough. Anywhere you turn, the roads are a priority. From Niger to Kogi, Benue and other states, the situation is the same. But the president is doing quite a lot. Everything cannot be completed in two or four years, but we are not giving up,” Umahi stated.
He assured Nigerians that ongoing reforms and strategic investments in infrastructure would, in due course, deliver lasting improvements to the nation’s road network.
