The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has described the ₦800 billion allocated to his ministry in the 2025 budget as insufficient to address Nigeria’s growing road infrastructure needs.
Speaking during a budget defense session with the House Committee on Works, Umahi appealed for a review and upward adjustment of the ministry’s budgetary allocation.
Highlighting the pressing need for infrastructure development, Umahi called on the committee to support President Bola Tinubu’s administration by considering borrowing funds to meet the country’s infrastructural demands.
“We plead with you to help us. ₦800 billion cannot do anything for us. It cannot address our road needs, and so we urge you to help us,” Umahi said.
Umahi emphasized that the ministry’s plans to tackle Nigeria’s road projects cannot be achieved with the current “meagre budget envelope.” He stressed that borrowing to invest in infrastructure is essential for driving economic growth and lifting the nation out of economic challenges.
“When a nation is in recession, you have to borrow money and invest in infrastructure. This is the key to revitalizing economic activities and addressing hunger,” Umahi explained.
He argued that robust infrastructure development would create jobs and stimulate various sectors of the economy, from food sellers to construction workers. “Support Mr. President and let’s borrow money to build this infrastructure so that Nigeria can be great again,” he added.
In response, Akin Alabi, Chairman of the House Committee on Works, assured Umahi of the committee’s commitment to addressing the issue. Alabi promised to summon the Minister of Finance and the Head of the Budget Office to explain the rationale behind the ministry’s low budget allocation.
The session underscored the critical need for increased funding to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, with lawmakers and the executive seeking collaborative solutions to ensure progress in the nation’s development goals.
