By Peter Adelowo
The Senate Committee on Works has announced plans to embark on oversight inspections of selected federal road projects to assess the performance and utilization of funds appropriated to the Ministry of Works.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Patrick Ndubueze, disclosed this during the 2026 Joint Budget Defence session of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Works.
The engagement focused on evaluating budget implementation and funding requirements for ongoing and legacy infrastructure projects.
During the session, a member of the committee, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, raised concerns over explanations provided by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, particularly regarding the execution of projects under the 2025 budget cycle.
Defending the ministry’s proposal, Senator Umahi stated that the 2026 budget estimate of ₦3.24 trillion is structured to facilitate the completion of major federal road projects, including four key legacy projects initiated under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He explained that rising construction costs, triggered by subsidy removal and the floating of the naira, necessitated project reprioritization and financial adjustments.
According to him, only ₦210.318 billion—representing about 9.7 percent of the 2025 capital allocation—has so far been released, significantly affecting project delivery.
The Minister further disclosed that contractors are owed approximately ₦2.2 trillion for work executed between 2024 and 2025.
He noted that the ministry is exploring strategies to settle the outstanding liabilities while ensuring continuity of critical infrastructure development.
Umahi added that over 70 percent of the 2026 budget proposal is dedicated to completing unfinished projects rolled over from 2025, with new phases of work to be funded progressively to guarantee timely delivery.
The planned legislative inspection underscores growing parliamentary scrutiny of capital expenditure performance and the broader fiscal sustainability of Nigeria’s infrastructure financing framework.
