“Through the Ministry of Works, the Federal Government has appealed to the World Bank for support in funding road projects, stressing that Nigeria needs extra resources to finish key infrastructure initiatives.”
David Umahi, Minister of Works, made the statement while receiving a World Bank delegation in his office on Friday. He explained that any funds provided by the Bank would be directed toward completing several strategic ongoing road projects, and that tolling mechanisms would be introduced to ensure both sustainability and repayment.
In a statement to journalists, Umahi also highlighted the challenges facing the road sector, including the high cost of construction and limited availability of funds.
“Infrastructure development remains the most critical requirement for Nigeria to achieve its desired position in global economic competitiveness,” he said, stressing that efficient road networks are essential for national growth, trade, and social development.
Umahi further noted, “When I assumed office, the Ministry inherited about 260 weak road links, 50 dilapidated bridges, and numerous failed road sections nationwide. To address these urgent challenges, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, approved N20 billion for the completion of priority road projects, many of which are currently being commissioned across the country.”
“Given current realities, long-term planning is less feasible, and the focus must be on short-term.”
He stressed that funding remains a major constraint and reiterated that new projects cannot be initiated while existing ones remain incomplete.
He highlighted the Federal Government’s Development Management Initiative and the ‘build, update, and maintain’ strategy, under which the government constructs roads while the private sector handles maintenance. Umahi explained that this model is designed to ensure sustainability, efficiency, and value for money in road infrastructure delivery.
The minister also identified key priority road projects currently under the Ministry’s supervision, including the East–West Road (spanning over eight sections), the Enugu–Onitsha Road Project, the Kano–Jigawa–Maiduguri Road Corridor, and the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.
In his remarks, Matthew Verghis, Country Director of the World Bank, said the purpose of the visit was to explore practical ways to improve Nigerian roads, which he described as the country’s most important infrastructure asset.
Verghis further noted that the World Bank can only finance contracts that comply with its procurement standards, underscoring the need for transparency, accountability, and due process in project execution.
Also speaking at the meeting, Franz Drees-Gross, a member of the World Bank delegation, said the institution’s overarching objective is to create jobs and reduce poverty. He emphasised that infrastructure plays a central role in poverty reduction, generating both direct and indirect employment across multiple sectors of the economy.
Drees-Gross also outlined key priority areas, including the establishment of State Roads Funds, State Road Maintenance Agencies, improved flood control through effective drainage systems, and expanded private sector participation in infrastructure financing.