The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has said the N800 billion allocated to his ministry in the 2025 budget is not enough to fix Nigeria’s road infrastructure.
He made the statement on Friday during a budget defense meeting with the House Committee on Works, chaired by Akin Alabi.
Umahi pleaded with the committee to increase the ministry’s budget for the coming year, pointing out that the current amount won’t be enough to tackle the country’s road issues. He stressed the need for more funding to complete ongoing projects and start new ones.
He also argued that borrowing money to address the country’s infrastructure gap is essential, especially during tough economic times. According to Umahi, investing in roads will create jobs and boost economic activities, helping to lift the country out of recession.
The minister reassured lawmakers that the government is committed to finishing road projects across the country. In response to concerns about the budget, Committee Chairman Akin Alabi said the committee would call on the Minister of Finance and the Head of the Budget Office to explain why the road ministry’s budget is so low.
