Tinubu borrowing to fix roads, Umahi says

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said President Bola Tinubu is borrowing to fix Nigeria’s roads because infrastructure is the foundation for security, commerce and economic growth

Meanwhile, Nigeria increased its borrowing from foreign lenders in 2025 as the Federal Government continued efforts to fund public projects, close budget deficits, support economic reforms, improve infrastructure, and manage economic pressures affecting the country.

Speaking in Abuja during a visit by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, to the Ministry of Works, Umahi said: “When people say, ‘Why is he borrowing?’ The President is borrowing so that our roads can be good.

Infrastructure, roads, everything. Without roads, it’s difficult for the security agencies. Without roads, it’s difficult for commerce to thrive. Without roads, schools will be hindered.”

Since assuming office in May 2023, the Tinubu administration has accumulated an estimated N57 trillion to N65.9 trillion in new public debt, according to economic analysts and data tracking organisations such as the Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE).

The minister explained that more than 80 per cent of the ongoing projects, valued at about N34 trillion, were inherited from previous administrations, some dating back to 2000, 2015 and 2017. The President, he said, decided to retain them because they were critical to the country’s economic revolution.

Umahi said the administration adopted reinforced concrete pavement to ensure durability, noting that completed roads would not require attention for 50 to 100 years.

He highlighted the four legacy projects of the Tinubu administration as investment-driven initiatives designed to trigger economic transformation. These include the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Highway, the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Abuja corridor and the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri route.

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