The Federal Government requires approximately ₦880 billion each year to maintain Nigeria’s federal road network, according to the Minister of State for Works, Mohammed Goroyo. Speaking at an investigative hearing in Abuja, Goroyo highlighted that the current budgetary allocations fall significantly short of this amount. In 2023, ₦76.3 billion was allocated, ₦103.3 billion in 2024, and ₦168.9 billion in 2025. Despite these increases, the funding remains inadequate for comprehensive road maintenance. Goroyo emphasized that this shortfall has forced the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) into a reactive maintenance mode, leading to deteriorating road conditions and increased repair costs.
FERMA, established under the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (Amendment) Act of 2007, is mandated to receive a 5% user charge on petrol and diesel sales for road maintenance. However, the Managing Director of FERMA, Chukwuemeka Abbasi, revealed that this charge has not been implemented by the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the successor to the defunct Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA). Abbasi stated that despite the legal framework, the necessary deductions have never been made, leading to a significant funding gap for road maintenance.
The House of Representatives has initiated an investigation into the non-remittance of the 5% user charge intended for road maintenance. The ad-hoc committee, led by Chairman Francis Waive, is examining the outstanding funds owed to FERMA and identifying officials responsible for the policy’s implementation. This action follows a motion sponsored by Frederick Agbedi, which highlighted the failure of the PPPRA to remit funds despite multiple legislative directives. The committee aims to determine the extent of the violation and recommend measures to ensure compliance with the law.
