The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N187 billion for the completion of the remaining 96 kilometres of the Benin–Shagamu–Ore expressway.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed the approval on Monday following the conclusion of the FEC meeting held the same day.
He explained during a press briefing that the newly awarded section spans 48 kilometres on each lane, totalling 96 kilometres, completing what remains of the dual carriageway.
“And lastly, under this, the Benin–Shagamu–Ore Road, the record of which we had taken off from the Shagamu Exchange, covering 12 kilometres on each lane, totaling 24 kilometres. The remaining section is 48 kilometres on each lane, bringing the total to 96 kilometres. This has now been awarded for N187 billion to CBC,” Umahi said.
In addition to this major approval, the Minister disclosed that the FEC ratified several re-scoped and newly awarded infrastructure projects across multiple states in line with its directive to align all ongoing projects with available funding.
Among them is the re-scoped 77-kilometre Enugu–Onitsha road, awarded for N150 billion, and the Ikoga Road in Ogun State, now approved at N37.045 billion. Also included is the Abakaliki–Afikpo flyover project in Ebonyi State, valued at N25 billion.
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The Council also approved N30.225 billion for phase one of the Aba–Ikot Ekpene Road, and N176.495 billion for the revised rehabilitation of the Ebute-Ero Outer Marina shoreline—an increase from its previous N144 billion allocation due to emergency erosion concerns affecting key infrastructure like military and navy bases.
- In Northern Nigeria, several inherited projects were re-scoped. The Sokoto–Zamfara–Katsina–Kaduna dualization project was trimmed to 82.4 kilometres with six bridges, while retaining its original N105 billion budget. Similarly, the Maiduguri–Monguno Road was split into phases, with the first 30 kilometres awarded for N21 billion.
- Another major highlight is the approval of $651.7 million for the Lekki Deep Sea Port–Shagamu evacuation corridor, covering 50 kilometres of road and 5 kilometres of bridges. The project, crucial for freight movement from the Lekki Port and Dangote facilities, is backed by funding from China Exim Bank.
Umahi also noted that the FEC approved N9.253 billion for phase one of the Cham–Numan section of the Gombe–Yola Road in Adamawa State, and acknowledged progress on the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, with 30 kilometres of section one and 10 kilometres of section two nearing completion for presidential commissioning.
