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FEC Approves N4.2trn for Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, Other Major Road Projects Nationwide
The federal government has approved road infrastructure contracts worth N4.2 trillion, covering major highways and bridges across Nigeria, including the second phase of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road. Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Abuja at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided by President Bola Tinubu.
According to Umahi, the projects are spread over several states, with a focus on enhancing connectivity, improving road safety, and supporting economic growth.
FEC also approved road construction projects worth N159.5 billion for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), targeting infrastructure development within the city and its satellite towns.
Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, disclosed the approvals during the post-FEC media briefing, where she detailed the major projects aimed at improving accessibility and urban development.
The federal government equally unveiled an ambitious plan to position the country’s creative and tourism sectors as key drivers of economic growth, with the potential to contribute at least $100 billion to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and creating two million jobs. Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, made this known to newsmen yesterday after the FEC meeting.
The contracts for the nationwide road infrastructure included new constructions, rehabilitation of deteriorating sections, and expansion of critical routes, with many projects shifting towards concrete pavement for durability.
The largest allocation went to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, with FEC approving N1.334 trillion for the construction of a 130-kilometre dual carriageway. This covers 65 kilometres in Lagos and Ogun states, and an additional stretch starting from Calabar through Akwa Ibom.
The project will be executed under an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) framework, with a 10-year maintenance plan.
FEC also approved N470.9 billion for the Delta State access road and N148 billion for the Anambra State access road to the Second Niger Bridge.
According to the minister, both roads will be constructed using concrete to ensure long-term resilience.
He explained, “Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Phase 2, Section 1) got N195 billion approval to undergo reconstruction under the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), focusing on improving traffic flow and reducing congestion along the busy corridor.
“The Abuja-Kano road project, previously handled by Julius Berger, has been restructured into two lots following contract termination, including Lot 1 (FCT-Niger boundary): Expanded by 5.71 kilometres towards Kogi State and Lot 3 (Kano section): extended by 17 kilometres.”
Umahi said the total length of the project was now 118 kilometres, with solar street lighting planned throughout. Section 1 will be built with concrete, while Section 3 will use asphalt.
The reconstruction of three sections of the Lokoja-Benin road will be done entirely with concrete for durability at N305 billion, including Obajana to Benin (Section I): N64 billion; Auchi to Edo (Section II): N110 billion; and Benin Airport area (Section III): N131 billion.
A contract worth N3.571 billion was approved for an extensive structural assessment of the Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge in Lagos. Umahi said this evaluation aimed to prevent further deterioration, building on findings from assessments conducted in 2009 and 2013, which identified progressive structural decay.
FEC also approved Ado-Ekiti–Igede Road Project (N5.4 billion) as part of a series of smaller road upgrades in Ekiti State to improve local connectivity and reduce travel time.
It approved N22 billion for the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway. The minister said the expressway will undergo rehabilitation to ease movement between Anambra and Imo states, and foster trade within the South-east region.
Musasa-Jos Route (Kaduna State) was approved at N18 billion to enhance road safety and reduce travel time between Kaduna and Plateau states.
Abia and Enugu States Road Project got N12.75 billion in a joint project that will focus on key sections within the budget limits, and address long-standing infrastructure gaps.
Umahi emphasised that most new projects, including the Lokoja-Benin and Abuja-Kano roads, will be constructed using reinforced concrete pavement instead of traditional asphalt.
He said, “Concrete roads are not only more durable but also cost-effective in the long run. In fact, the cost of these concrete projects is significantly cheaper than previous asphalt-based contracts rejected by some contractors.”
The minister addressed concerns about terminated contracts, particularly with Julius Berger, clarifying that the government has negotiated cost-saving measures while equipment from previous contractors will be repurposed to avoid unnecessary mobilisation costs.
Umahi also dismissed recent reports about fake companies being awarded contracts, and assured Nigerians that due diligence was followed in selecting credible contractors.
According to him, “We’ve resolved misunderstandings with key stakeholders, including media organisations, to ensure transparency. The companies handling these projects are legitimate and well-equipped.
“This is not just about roads; it’s about driving Nigeria’s economic transformation. We are committed to delivering durable, cost-effective infrastructure that will stand the test of time.”
FEC also approved road projects worth N159.5 billion for the FCT, focussing on infrastructure development within Abuja and its satellite towns.
The FCT minister of state detailed the five major projects aimed at improving accessibility and urban development during the post-FEC media briefing.
She said the projects included Bus Terminal Access Road, Mabushi, awarded to Messrs SETRACO Nigeria Limited at the cost of N30.97 billion, with a completion period of 18 months.
The council approved Arterial Road from Wuye District to Ring Road II, awarded to Messrs Arab Contractors Nigeria Limited at the cost of N62.5 billion, with a completion period of 20 months.
Bunkure stated, “Also approved is Kuje-Gwagwalada Dual Carriageway Construction to Messrs Gilmor Engineering Nigeria Limited at N7.49 billion; the rehabilitation of Old Keffi Road (Kado Village to Dei Dei), awarded to
Messrs Lubric Construction Company Limited at N26.87 billion, with a completion time of 18 months.
“There is also a contract for the construction of access road to Renewed Hope Cities and Estates (Kasana West District) to Messrs Lubric Construction Nigeria Limited in the sum of N31.66 billion, with a completion time of 18 months.”
The minister emphasised that the projects aligned with the FCT administration’s commitment to urban expansion, improved road networks, and enhanced connectivity across Abuja.
She said the contracts were awarded to reputable construction firms with track records of delivering quality infrastructure projects.
Bunkure assured residents that the projects would be completed within the stipulated timelines to enhance mobility and economic development in the capital city.
Equally on Monday, the federal government unveiled a plan to position Nigeria’s creative and tourism sectors as key drivers of economic growth, with the potential to contribute at least $100 billion to GDP and create over two million jobs.
The art, culture, tourism, and creative economy minister told the post-FEC media briefing that at the heart of the plan was the establishment of Creative and Tourism Infrastructure Corporation (CTIC), a special-purpose vehicle designed to invest in and develop critical infrastructure for Nigeria’s creative and tourism industries.
The initiative, approved by the FEC, will operate under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework, and attract both local and international investors to support its ambitious goals.
“The CTIC is not just a project; it’s a transformative agenda,” Musawa stated.
“We aim to unlock the immense potential of Nigeria’s creative and tourism industries, enhance economic growth, and project Nigeria’s cultural soft power globally,” she added.
The minister outlined the government’s targets for the CTIC to include: contributing at least $100 billion to Nigeria’s GDP; creating over two million jobs, with a focus on Nigeria’s vibrant youth population; and developing world-class infrastructure to support talent development, cultural preservation, and tourism growth
“This is a deliberate strategy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to diversify the economy beyond oil and tap into Nigeria’s vast creative and cultural wealth,” Musawa said.
The minister emphasised that while Nigeria boasted a wealth of creative talent and cultural heritage, lack of supporting infrastructure had been a major barrier to full realisation of the sector’s economic potential.
Musawa said, “Everyone talks about Nigeria’s creativity. Our content is globally celebrated, from Nollywood to Afrobeat. But what we lack is the infrastructure to support and sustain this growth.”
She stressed, “Imagine the impact if events, like December’s ‘Detty December’ in Lagos, were backed by world-class infrastructure. The value would be exponential.”
Musawa revealed an array of projects under consideration to drive the sector’s growth, including: Abuja Resort Range and Abuja Creative City; revitalisation of Yankari Game Reserve; development of 5,000 new cinema screens nationwide; Wole Soyinka Centre for African Arts in Lagos; and a National Digital Distribution Network for creative content.
Others were upgrading the National Gallery of Art and expanding the National Arena to 100,000-seat capacity; establishment of a Nigerian National Museum in Abuja; positioning Nollywood as a global film destination with dedicated production hubs; and a world-class music arena to support Nigeria’s booming music industry.
“It’s unthinkable that Nigeria, the Giant of Africa, doesn’t have a national museum in its capital city. We’re going to change that,” Musawa declared.
She also highlighted ongoing engagements with development partners and stakeholders worldwide to secure investments and adopt innovative financing models for the CTIC projects.
Musawa explained, “The government is intentional about this. We’re not just waiting for foreign investments; we’re putting domestic financing structures in place and creating an environment where the private sector can thrive.
“Today marks the beginning of a journey to not just build infrastructure, but to shift the national mind-set about the economic power of culture, creativity, and tourism.”
The minister added, “This is a new dawn for Nigeria’s creative and tourism industries.”
The house of representatives has exempted military service members from paying personal income tax (PIT).
The decision was reached on Thursday following the adoption of a report on tax reform bills, which also provides exemptions for certain agricultural businesses and other categories of income.
Personal income tax is imposed by the government on an individual’s earnings, including salaries, wages, bonuses, dividends, and other forms of income.
Section 164 of the Nigeria tax bill outlines the categories of individuals exempted from personal income tax.
While presenting the motion for the report’s consideration, James Faleke, chairman of the finance committee, said certain agricultural businesses are also exempted from personal income tax for the first five years of operation.
“In addition, wages and salaries of military officers have been proposed to be exempt from income tax,” he said.
The report also excludes several categories of individuals and entities from personal income tax.
According to the report, profits or gains from asset disposals are exempted for statutory or registered friendly societies, provided the income is not derived from trade or business.
Similarly, the committee said registered cooperative societies will enjoy tax exemptions if their earnings do not come from commercial activities.
It also said entities engaged in educational, religious, or charitable activities of public interest are also excluded, as long as their profits are not generated from business ventures.
Compensating payments that qualify as dividends or interest in regulated securities lending transactions are exempt, the report said.
The panel also said consular fees collected on behalf of a foreign state, along with the employment income of consular officers, are not taxable unless such earnings come from trade, business, or additional employment in Nigeria.
Income exemptions also extend to funds covered under the Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act and pension funds and assets established under the Pension Reform Act.
The report said death gratuities, compensation for injuries, and redundancy lump sum payments or other capital compensation for loss of employment are not taxable, adding that income from bonds issued by the federal or state government of Nigeria is also exempt.
The lawmaker also individuals earning the national minimum wage or less are not required to pay personal income tax.
Proscribed Igbo separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has accused officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of looting goods at the popular Onitsha drug market known as Ogbo Ogwu, located at Head Bridge, Onitsha, in Anambra State.
The Biafra agitators in a statement on Thursday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said the raids were carried out at night under the guise of searching for fake drugs stored in the market.
In the statement, Powerful also accused the NAFDAC operatives of allegedly blocking all CCTV cameras in the market before breaking into shops and carting away goods, which they later branded as fake drugs.
He further alleged that in all the raids and seizures, NAFDAC did not provide evidence of burning the confiscated drugs as claimed.
The group questioned the agency’s motives, asking why the raid was conducted at midnight in the absence of shop owners and why surveillance cameras were deliberately obstructed, and demanded answers on how NAFDAC determined that the seized drugs were counterfeit and where the confiscated goods were deposited.
The group stated that though it does not endorse the proliferation of fake drugs, but stressed that while tackling the menace of fake drugs is crucial, the regulatory agencies must act with professionalism and respect for citizens’ rights.
“IPOB condemns the peddlers of fake drugs. At the same time, we condemn the criminal raids by NAFDAC on people’s shops in their absence while blackmailing all the traders as dealers of fake drugs.
“The action of blocking the surveillance cameras with black nylon bags is a criminal act, and in every shop at the market the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control broke into people’s stores and shops.
“This criminal activity by the notorious NAFDAC officers was conducted in the middle of the night.
“NAFDAC looted people’s shops in Onitsha and branded all the drugs they carted away as fake drugs without showing the evidence that the drugs were indeed fake.
“The questions that NAFDAC must answer are: Why raid people’s shops in the middle of the night in the absence of the owners?
“Why did NAFDAC criminal officers block the cameras in people’s shops in the market while conducting those raids?
“How did NAFDAC determine whether the drugs they carted away were fake or genuine?
“Where did NAFDAC deposit all the drugs they claimed were fake.
Why did NAFDAC seal the entire drug market punishing both the guilty and the innocent?
“IPOB does not encourage or support the inimical activities of fake drugs peddlers in the Onitsha market, but NAFDAC must apply citizens’ rights, decorum, and professionalism and not act like a rogue agency.
“The Nigerian government agencies always apply a heavy-hand approach at any given opportunity against the Ndigbo and the carrot approach when dealing with other ethnic groups.
“NAFDAC should do well to return the genuine goods their rogue staff looted from the owners at Onitsha’s Head Bridge Drugs market or Ogbo Ogwu,” the group said.
The United States (US) is working closely with the Federal Government to establish a counter Improvised Explosive Device (IED) centre in Nigeria.
The centre which will be similar to one set up by Britain in Maiduguri, Borno State, is to help Nigeria contain indiscriminate production of IEDs and boost anti-terrorism war in the country.
Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka made this known during a symposium on Countering Improvised IEDs in Abuja yesterday.
The symposium was organised by the centre, a unit in the Office of National Security Adviser(ONSA) in collaboration with the US and British governments.
Maj.-Gen. Laka stated the Federal Government’s collaboration with foreign partners was yielding positive results.
He said: ”What is the new thing that they(US) are going to do now?
‘’Like the British Government has established a counter IED centre in the Northeast, particularly in Maiduguri, we are working closely with the US Government on that also.
“They(Britain and U.S) have been training our troops for the past four years; and this has greatly impacted the proficiency of our troops in identifying IEDs, preventing such incidents and also reacting after such an incident.
‘’Samples are taken from the IED site to our laboratory at the centre to find out those materials that are used so that we will be able to know where our focus will be on restricting such materials getting into the wrong hands,” HE told reporters.
The NCTC boss revealed that some suspected manufacturers of IEDs were already being detained preparatory to their arraignment. He also said that ONSA has taken steps to regulate the use of materials like urea fertiliser in the Northeast, which terrorists use to manufacture explosives
Experts identify IEDs as a major threat to troops, civilians and infrastructure in the fight against terrorism in the country.
The NCTC Coordinator said: “ Insurgents can get things like urea fertiliser from the markets to manufacture IEDs and so on. But we won’t relent on our part. We will keep educating the populace.
“And on punishments for those who are manufacturing these IEDs, we have identified a few and they are presently awaiting to go through the judicial process.
‘’We won’t just punish them on our own. Nigeria is a signatory to international human rights laws and best practices, and so on. So we will follow the rule of law. They are innocent until proven guilty. So we have to go through the judicial process.”
Maj.-Gen. Laka assured Nigerians that the NCTC would remain proactive in its approach to tackling the menace of IEDs in the country.
“We are developing a biometric database at the Office of the National Security Adviser. We are working closely with all the security and intelligence agencies. This biometric database is going to be used to identify those who are experts in manufacturing IEDs.
‘’We are working closely with the US and British governments on that and other security and intelligence agencies,’’ he said.
The NCTC boss stated that the symposium was both timely and critical as it provided a platform for experts and stakeholders to deliberate on innovative strategies to counter-terrorism.
He said: “Our collective goal is to enhance national capabilities in preventing, detecting, and responding to Improvised Explosive Devices incidents.
“The provision of external expertise in this field would also complement Nigeria’s experience and proficiency in assessing whether a National Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Strategy would be beneficial for implementation in Nigeria. We must examine the existing gaps, address the vulnerabilities in our operational environments, and improve coordination among key agencies.”
US Ambassador to Nigeria Richard M. Mills, Jr. said Washington would continue to assist Nigeria to defeat the challenging threat of IEDs.
Mills was represented by the US Defence Attaché to Nigeria. Col. Thomas Brooks
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