The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has labeled the N800 billion allocated to the ministry in the 2025 budget proposal as insufficient to address Nigeria’s critical road infrastructure needs.
Speaking at the 2025 budget defense session organized by the House Committee on Works on Friday, Umahi called for an upward review of the ministry’s budget to tackle ongoing and new road projects across the country.
“We plead with you to help us. N800bn cannot do anything for us. It cannot address our road needs, and so we ask for your support,” he told the committee.
The former Ebonyi State governor emphasized the urgent need for adequate funding to complete existing projects and initiate new ones, pointing out that the current allocation was far below what is required to meet the country’s infrastructural challenges.
Umahi argued that borrowing to fund infrastructure projects would catalyze economic recovery and national development.
“When the nation is in recession, you have to borrow money to invest in infrastructure. That’s how you come out of a recession,” he explained.
He also explained the ripple effects of improved infrastructure on the economy, noting that better roads would boost activities for food vendors, sand suppliers, and other businesses. “Infrastructure will drive economic activities and help address hunger. Support Mr. President, let’s borrow money and build infrastructure so that Nigeria will be great again,” Umahi added.
