Minister says N800bn not enough to fix Nigeria roads

..urges support for Tinubu to borrow money and build infrastructure

By Tom Okpe

To properly address the country’s road infrastructure, the Minister of Works said N800bn is inadequate in the 2025 budget proposal to address the problem.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, who described the N800 billion, allocated to his Ministry in the 2025 budget proposal as ‘inadequate,’ also appealed to the Committee, to consider increasing the Ministry’s budgetary allocation for the 2025 fiscal year.

He also called on Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to borrow money and build infrastructure, so the country can be great.

Umahi made this known on Friday during the 2025 budget defense sessions at the National Assembly, House of Representatives Committee on Works.

He appealed to the Committee Chairman, Rep Akin Alabi, to consider increasing the Ministry’s budgetary allocation for the 2025 fiscal year saying: “We plead with you to help us. N800 billion cannot do anything for us. It cannot address our road needs, so, we plead with you to help us,” Umahi said.

The Minister emphasized the need for adequate funding to enable the Ministry, complete ongoing projects and initiate new ones across the country, stating that, “the scope of road projects, the Ministry aims to undertake cannot be achieved with the meagre budget allocation,” highlighting that, “borrowing funds to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit is crucial for the nation’s progress.

“When the nation is in recession, you have to borrow money and invest in infrastructure. That is how you emerge from a recession. Infrastructure is a catalyst for economic activities, and this hunger we talk about, will become a thing of the past.

“Food sellers, sand suppliers, gravel workers, and others will benefit. Support President Tinubu, and let’s borrow money to build infrastructure so Nigeria can be great again,” Umahi said.

While responding to questions from the Committee members on the state of roads nationwide, the Minister stressed that the Government is committed to completing ongoing road projects, without delay, declining insinuations on embarking on new ones.

Chairman of the Committee, Akin Alabi, however, promised to summon the Minister of Finance and Head of Budget Office, to explain the rationale, behind the Ministry’s low budget allocation.