Benin–Onitsha Road: FG Engaging Concessionaire Over Poor Performance — Umahi
The Federal Government has rejected claims that it has neglected the Benin–Onitsha road, saying the condition of the corridor predates the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, said the Federal Government recognises the difficulties faced by motorists and businesses along the corridor but stressed that the government’s intervention must take into account existing contractual obligations and the legal status of the road.
According to the Minister, the Benin–Asaba section of the corridor was incorporated into the Federal Government’s Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) as a Value-Added Concession.
The 125-kilometre Benin–Asaba Expressway is covered by a 25-year concession arrangement designed to attract private-sector investment in the development and management of the road.
Umahi explained that under the concession model, the pavement and Right-of-Way are concessioned for development and management by the concessionaire, making it impossible for the Federal Government to simply terminate the agreement without considering the legal and financial consequences.
“Government is bound by law. It is bound by contract. And it must observe due process,” the Minister maintained, warning that arbitrary termination could expose the Federal Government to litigation and substantial financial claims.
He, however, said the concession arrangement does not amount to government abandonment of the road.
According to him, the Ministry of Works has been engaging the concessionaire over the pace of work and demanding that the company fulfil its contractual obligations.
Umahi also noted that the Federal Government began reviewing inherited highway concession agreements in 2025 to address issues relating to transparency, accountability, performance and value for money.
The Minister further challenged critics of the administration to consider the broader infrastructure interventions being undertaken across the South-East.
He listed several projects, including the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, Onueke Highway and Flyover, Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue Trans-Sahara Superhighway, Enugu–Abakaliki–Ogoja Road, Afikpo–Okigwe Road, access roads to the Second Niger Bridge, Aba–Owerri Road, Onitsha–Owerri Expressway, Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway and Aba–Ikot Ekpene Road.
He said the Federal Government’s intervention in the region should therefore not be assessed solely through the condition of one road corridor.
The Ministry recently reopened an initial 15-kilometre completed section of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway following reconstruction works, including concrete pavement.
Umahi also pointed to the administration’s broader efforts to compel contractors and concessionaires to deliver on their obligations.
In June 2026, he warned non-performing contractors over delays on major road projects and insisted that contractors must meet their contractual responsibilities.
The Minister acknowledged that motorists’ complaints over the Benin–Onitsha corridor are legitimate, including concerns over travel delays, vehicle damage, business losses and road safety.
He maintained, however, that the appropriate response is for government to use every lawful mechanism available to compel the concessionaire to improve the road rather than arbitrarily terminate an existing agreement.
Umahi also argued that the Tinubu administration inherited a significant infrastructure deficit, including thousands of Federal road and bridge projects at different stages of completion, funding and contractual arrangements.
He said the administration cannot reasonably be expected to reconstruct every inherited Federal road within three years, particularly in the face of funding limitations and existing contractual obligations.
The Minister stressed that government must prioritise critical sections, mobilise resources, supervise projects and enforce contracts while respecting the law.
He further rejected suggestions that infrastructure development under the Tinubu administration is being distributed according to political affiliation.
According to him, major road projects are being executed across the six geopolitical zones, with several South-East projects aimed at improving regional connectivity, trade and economic activity.
Umahi said the Benin–Onitsha corridor remains important to the Federal Government and that the Ministry will continue to engage the concessionaire and demand improved performance.
He urged Nigerians to assess the administration’s infrastructure record based on the totality of projects being executed rather than isolating one road from the wider national programme.
The Minister nevertheless acknowledged that the concerns surrounding the Benin–Onitsha road cannot be ignored.
He said the road deserves attention, but insisted that the facts surrounding its history, concession arrangement and the Federal Government’s ongoing engagement with the concessionaire must form part of any balanced assessment.
The Federal Government, he added, remains committed to ensuring that road infrastructure across the country is improved while protecting public resources and operating within the framework of the law.
