The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said that more than 60 per cent of the legacy road projects being executed under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are located in northern Nigeria, while the southern region accounts for about 40 per cent.
Umahi made the disclosure on Thursday during a town hall meeting in Gombe State after inspecting the ongoing Gombe–Biu Super Highway project, a major road expected to link Gombe State with Borno State and improve transportation across the North-East.
The minister said the distribution of projects demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to fairness, balanced development and national integration, dismissing claims that infrastructure investments are concentrated in any particular region.
Addressing stakeholders, including Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, community leaders and government officials, Umahi said the current administration has ensured that both northern and southern parts of the country benefit from major infrastructure projects.
According to him, the northern region currently hosts the larger share of the legacy projects being undertaken by the Federal Government.
“Governor, you are a very lucky person. The length of this first legacy project from Akwanga down to Maiduguri is the same length as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway,” Umahi said.
“Under the legacy projects of Mr President, I can boldly say as Minister of Works that the North controls 60 per cent of the projects, while the South controls 40 per cent.”
The minister stressed that infrastructure projects should not be viewed through ethnic, regional or political lenses because roads serve all Nigerians regardless of where they are located.
“The projects in the North are more, and they are not used by northerners alone, just as the projects in the South are not used by southerners alone. Let us see ourselves as one people,” he added.
Umahi noted that every state in the federation currently benefits from one form of federal road intervention or another, arguing that no part of the country has been neglected in the ongoing infrastructure programme.
“There is no state that will say it does not have a federal presence in terms of road construction,” he said.
His comments come amid ongoing debates over the distribution of federal projects and public spending across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Infrastructure development has remained one of the key pillars of the Tinubu administration’s economic agenda, with the Federal Government investing heavily in road construction, rehabilitation and transportation projects aimed at boosting economic growth and improving connectivity.
Among the flagship projects being promoted by the administration are the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, both of which are expected to connect major economic corridors across the country.
Umahi described the projects as historic undertakings that have transformed ideas conceived decades ago into reality.
According to him, the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway was first envisioned during the administration of former President Shehu Shagari nearly 50 years ago but was never implemented until now.
He said President Tinubu deserves credit for reviving and executing the long-abandoned project.
“The Sokoto-Badagry project was dreamt of by the Shagari administration about 50 years ago and is being actualised by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the minister stated.
He also revealed that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway originated from a vision conceived by Tinubu nearly three decades ago.
“The Lagos-Calabar project was dreamt of by him about 28 years ago and is now being actualised by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Umahi added.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has attracted significant attention since construction began. The project is expected to connect several coastal states, improve transportation, stimulate tourism and create new economic opportunities.
Similarly, the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway is designed to link northern and southern Nigeria through a major transportation corridor that will facilitate trade, movement of goods and regional integration.
Despite the government’s enthusiasm for the projects, some critics have questioned their costs, priorities and implementation processes.
However, Umahi dismissed concerns from opponents who have vowed to challenge or stop the projects.
Without mentioning specific groups or individuals, the minister expressed confidence that the projects would be completed successfully.
“Some have boasted that they will stop the legacy projects. I don’t think God will allow it,” he said.
He maintained that the projects are in the national interest and would deliver long-term benefits to Nigerians across all regions.
Speaking at the event, Governor Muhammadu Yahaya welcomed the highway project and described it as a major development initiative that would positively impact Gombe State and neighbouring communities.
According to the governor, the road project comes at a critical time when states are seeking to expand economic opportunities, attract investments and improve the movement of people and goods.
“This project comes at a very important time in our lives and presents a great opportunity for development,” Yahaya said.
He noted that improved road networks are essential for economic growth because they lower transportation costs, facilitate commerce and support agricultural production.
The governor further stated that the project aligns with broader efforts by both federal and state governments to improve the quality of life of citizens through infrastructure development.
Yahaya also used the occasion to praise the achievements of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that the party’s administrations have delivered significant projects since assuming power at the federal level in 2015.
“Our party has been in government for seven years now, four years under former President Muhammadu Buhari and three years under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
“I can confidently say that the achievements recorded during these years have surpassed those of previous administrations.”
The Gombe-Biu Super Highway forms part of a wider network of strategic road projects currently being undertaken by the Federal Government to improve national connectivity and strengthen economic activities.
Road transport remains the dominant means of movement in Nigeria, carrying most passengers and goods across the country. As a result, many experts view investments in highways as critical to reducing travel time, lowering business costs and supporting economic growth.
With construction ongoing on several major projects nationwide, the Federal Government says its goal is to create a modern transportation network that will connect communities, support trade and drive development across all parts of the country.
Umahi’s latest disclosure on the regional distribution of projects is likely to fuel further discussion about infrastructure spending, but the minister insists that the benefits of the projects extend beyond geography and are intended to serve the entire nation.