Benin–Onitsha Road: Umahi Defends FG, Says Concessionaire Must Deliver

"The Tinubu administration inherited a huge infrastructure deficit involving about 2,064 Federal road and bridge projects at various stages of completion, following years of deterioration and inadequate investment." Umahi

.... Says "The Benin–Asaba section of the corridor is particularly complicated by its inclusion in the Federal Government’s Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) as a Value-Added Concession."

The Federal Government has defended its handling of the deteriorating Benin–Onitsha road corridor, insisting that the road’s condition predates the President Bola Tinubu administration and that efforts are ongoing to compel the concessionaire to fulfil its contractual obligations.

The Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, made the position known in a response issued by the Federal Ministry of Works to criticisms alleging that the Federal Government had neglected the strategic highway.

The Ministry acknowledged the concerns of motorists and other road users over the condition of the corridor, but rejected claims that the present administration was responsible for the deterioration.

According to the Ministry, the Tinubu administration inherited a huge infrastructure deficit involving about 2,064 Federal road and bridge projects at various stages of completion, following years of deterioration and inadequate investment.

It explained that the Benin–Asaba section of the corridor is particularly complicated by its inclusion in the Federal Government’s Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) as a Value-Added Concession.

Under the arrangement, the 125-kilometre Benin–Asaba Expressway is subject to a 25-year concession designed to attract private-sector investment for the development and management of the highway.

The Ministry said the concession arrangement limits the ability of government to arbitrarily terminate the agreement and award the road to another contractor without considering the legal and financial consequences.

“Government is bound by law. It is bound by contract. And it must observe due process,” the statement said, warning that arbitrary termination could expose the Federal Government to litigation and substantial financial claims.

It, however, stressed that the concession does not amount to government abandonment of the road, noting that the Ministry has been engaging the concessionaire over the pace of work and demanding improved performance.

The Ministry disclosed that the Federal Government commenced a review of inherited highway concession agreements in 2025 to address concerns relating to transparency, accountability, performance and value for money.

It also rejected claims that the Tinubu administration had done little for the South-East, pointing to several major road projects either under construction or being advanced across the region.

These include the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, Enugu–Akwa-Onitsha Expressway, Onueke Highway and Flyover, Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue Trans-Sahara Superhighway, Enugu–Abakaliki–Ogoja Road, Afikpo–Okigwe Road, Aba–Owerri Road, Onitsha–Owerri Expressway, Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway and Aba–Ikot Ekpene Road.

The Ministry also cited the reopening in April 2026 of an initial 15-kilometre completed section of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway as evidence of ongoing intervention in the region.

It said the Minister had equally warned underperforming contractors and demanded compliance with contractual obligations, stressing that government was determined to use lawful mechanisms to ensure that contractors and concessionaires delivered on their commitments.

While defending the administration’s record, the Ministry acknowledged that the condition of the Benin–Onitsha corridor remains a legitimate concern, particularly because of its impact on motorists, businesses, vehicle maintenance and road safety.

It maintained, however, that the appropriate assessment should take into account the projects inherited by the administration, existing contractual arrangements, funding limitations and the interventions currently being undertaken across the South-East.

The Ministry urged Nigerians to judge the administration’s infrastructure performance on the totality of its interventions rather than on the condition of a single road.

It said the Benin–Onitsha corridor “deserves fixing”, but insisted that the public must also understand who bears the contractual responsibility for the road and the steps being taken by government to compel performance.

“Criticism is necessary in a democracy. Government officials must be questioned. Ministers must be held accountable. Contractors must be challenged. And poor roads must be reported,” the Ministry stated, adding that criticism, however, should be supported by facts and the full context surrounding infrastructure projects.

The Federal Government consequently reaffirmed its commitment to improving the nation’s road network, while insisting that inherited concessions, funding constraints and legal obligations must be addressed within the framework of the law.