FEC approves over N7 trillion road, bridge projects across Nigeria

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved infrastructure contracts worth more than N7 trillion, covering 10 major road and bridge projects across all six geopolitical zones of the country.

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, announced the approvals on Thursday while briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Umahi described the approvals as the most extensive infrastructure rollout in a single sitting under the current administration, while also revealing that several completed projects are ready for commissioning ahead of the President’s third anniversary on May 29.

A major highlight of the approvals is the N1.86 trillion extension of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway into Akwa Ibom State.

Umahi said the section involves highly complex engineering work due to swamp terrain.

“It involves removing pits of more than 12 metres, reclaiming with lumps in layers and sharp sand, and bringing it up to about five metres above the existing natural ground level,” he said.

He added that the project will span 165.6 kilometres, be dualised, and constructed with reinforced concrete pavement, solar lighting, and drainage systems over 36 months.

The FEC also approved the complete demolition and reconstruction of the Carter Bridge in Lagos at a cost of N548.98 billion.

“All the technical experts, all over the country and even internationally, all agreed that we could not redeem Carter Bridge and it has to be completely demolished and rebuilt,” Umahi said.